Amtrak Derailment Death Toll Rises In Phildelphia

The death toll in the derailment of an Amtrak train in Port Richmond rose to seven Wednesday and could go higher as a team of federal rail experts begins an investigation to determine what caused the engine and all seven passenger cars to jump the tracks at a curve.

People close to the investigation in the meantime tell the Inquirer the train apparently was traveling well above the speed limit when it entered the sharp curve at Frankford Junction Tuesday night.

Officials said Wednesday more than 200 people were injured in the crash and taken to city hospitals and at least eight of them remained in critical condition.

The seventh fatality was found in the wreckage late Wednesday morning. No other details were immediately available.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20150514_Investigators_headed_to_Port_Richmond_to_probe_deadly_derailment.html#XFCsue8rITcXdqvA.99

At Least 36 Displaced In Carbondale Fire

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lackawanna County (Photo Wikipedia)

The fire alarm was piercing, but it had sounded plenty of times in the 15 years Mary Gerzie has lived in Building L of Carbondale’s Summit Garden Apartments. What really frightened her was the thick black smoke that billowed into her apartment when she opened her door.

Then came the shouts of “get out of here.”

Mrs. Gerzie, 72, was one of at least 36 people that were taken out of the apartment complex and into the lightly falling snow Friday morning while firefighters worked to stop a fire on the first floor, said Carbondale Fire Chief Chris Pezak.

“The smoke was so intense,” said Chief Pezak of the fire that damaged part of the building around 8 a.m.. “It was very thick black smoke.”

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/at-least-36-displaced-in-carbondale-fire-1.1593134

Firefighters investigating Back-To-Back Fires In Harrisburg As Possibly Related Arsons

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Dauphin County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Harrisburg resident Michael Bordner had just put his eldest daughter to bed in his home at 2042 Susquehanna Street when, just after midnight Monday morning, chaos erupted.

“I laid down at about midnight and then, at about 12:15, I heard all the alarms going off in my home,” he said.  “At the same time I heard my stepfather saying ‘Get [your daughter] grab the dog; we have to get out, there’s a fire!'”

Bordner’s stepfather, Tim Bucher, who was visiting the house Sunday night, had woken up only moments before when he noted a strange smell and bright light emanating from the row house next door at 2044 Susquehanna Street.

“I peeked out the third floor window because something didn’t smell right,” Bucher recalled, almost from a daze Monday morning as firefighters stomped up the ruined stairs to Bordner’s home.  “It didn’t smell like a fire, but when I looked out the window and looked down I saw flames coming up from the floor below.”

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/firefighters_investigating_bac.html#incart_m-rpt-2

York Street Fire In Pottstown Forces 26 From Their Apartments

POTTSTOWN — Twenty-six people were forced from their homes after a fire at the Yorkshire Apartments left their building uninhabitable Saturday night.

Shortly after 7 p.m., the Pottstown Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at the apartments on the 500 block of North York Street.

Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel said the fire was in the wall of a second floor apartment.

“It was an electrical problem in the wall,” he said.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121001/NEWS01/120939979/york-street-fire-in-pottstown-forces-26-from-their-apartments&pager=full_story

Brush Fire Rages At French Creek State Park

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Firefighters from several Berks and northern Chester County companies battled wind-whipped flames well into the night. The fire was first reported about noon near Route 345 and Hopewell Street in Union Township, just south of Birdsboro.

Exhausted crews had to leave to get some rest knowing that it will take at least one more day to put out all of the flames, which have spread into North Coventry Township in Chester, a county communications center supervisor said.

Residents were evacuated from homes in the area. The American Red Cross, Berks County Chapter, and the Berks County Department of Emergency Services set up a shelter at the Immaculate Conception Church social hall in Union Township. Food and beverages were available at the shelter, and the Berks sheriff’s department was providing security.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=378727