Fire News

All South African miners rescued after fire

Johanesburg - All the 486 miners who were trapped underground at a gold mine in South Africa on Sunday have been brought to the surface, a spokeswoman for mining company Harmony Gold said."All the miners are out," Charmane Russell told AFP.

Huge blaze guts 79-floor Dubai skyscraper

Dubai - Hundreds of panicked residents fled one of the tallest towers in Dubai early Saturday as a huge fire engulfed the skyscraper, causing extensive damage to its luxury flats.

China shopping mall fire kills 17: Government

Bejing - A shopping mall inferno killed 17 people in China, authorities said Friday, the latest deadly accident in a country where safety standards are often flouted.

A million rare documents damaged in Moscow library blaze

Moscow - A fire that ripped through one of Russia's largest university libraries is believed to have damaged over one million historic documents, with some describing the fire as a cultural "Chernobyl.

Bangladesh factory blaze kills 13

Dhaka - At least 13 people were killed and more than a dozen injured on Saturday when a fire broke out in a plastic factory in Bangladesh's capital, emergency service officials said.

San Francisco fire kills one, leaves 40 homeless

San Francisco - Dozens of residents rescued Wednesday from a burning San Francisco building may have been further imperiled by blocked fire escapes and a malfunctioning alarm system, officials said.

New Jersey apartment fire ruled accidental, tenants plan lawsuit

Officials have said that the fire that destroyed a major part of a luxury New Jersey apartment complex was caused when ongoing plumbing repairs sparked a fire that quickly spread through the building.

Six Taiwan firemen killed in bowling alley fire

Taipei - Six young firemen were killed on Tuesday as they battled a blaze engulfing a bowling alley in northern Taiwan, officials said.

Channel Tunnel passenger services resume after fire

Lille - Passenger train services through the Channel Tunnel between France and Britain resumed early Sunday, a day after a lorry fire forced the crucial link's closure and suspension of all trains, operator Eurotunnel said.

Eurostar says services to resume Sunday, with delays

Paris - Eurostar said its services will resume on Sunday, with some delays, after a lorry fire halted traffic in the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France.

Lorry fire halts traffic in Channel Tunnel

Coquelles - Traffic was suspended in both directions in the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France on Saturday after a lorry fire, authorities said, hoping partial service could restart later in the evening.

Rain brings relief to Australian firefighters

Sydney - Australian authorities said Wednesday they had almost fully contained a destructive bushfire in the country's south, as rain in fire-hit areas brought welcome relief for firefighters.

Bushfires follow Australia's third-hottest year

Sydney - Australia experienced its third-hottest year on record in 2014, paving the way for an early start to the bushfire season, scientists said Tuesday as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes in three states.

Australia races to control major blaze before weather worsens

Adelaide - Firefighters raced Monday to contain a major blaze before the forecast return of strong winds and a heatwave, following the loss of 26 homes in the worst bushfire conditions in South Australia for three decades.

More homes destroyed as Australia battles major bushfire

Adelaide - More than 30 homes are feared destroyed as firefighters battle the worst bushfire in South Australia for three decades, with officials warning Sunday of a threat to lives even as weather conditions improve.

Sweden protestors demand end to mosque arson attacks

Stockholm - More than a thousand protesters took to the streets in Sweden on Friday to urge an end to a spate of attacks against mosques, amid growing tensions over the rise of an anti-immigration party.

Swedish protesters denounce mosque arson attack

Eskilstuna - Several hundred marchers turned out in Sweden on Friday to denounce an arson attack on a mosque that injured five people Thursday, as the traditionally tolerant country confronts the rising influence of the extreme right.

Australian bushfire survivors win record class action

Sydney - Survivors of a devastating 2009 bushfire in Australia won final court approval Tuesday for a nearly Aus$500 million (US$407 million) payout -- the biggest class action settlement in the nation's history.

Massive fires dominate Los Angeles skyline

Los Angeles - A pair of massive fires burst across the Los Angeles skyline early Monday, damaging four buildings and closing down freeways during the morning commute.

Fire causes shutdown at Belgian nuclear reactor

Brussels - A fire caused the shutdown of a nuclear reactor in eastern Belgium on Sunday, media reports said, making it the fourth reactor to go offline in the country.

ATM damaged in attempted theft from Caisse populaire Desjardins

They'd apparently readied a diversion, but suspects apparently hadn't considered all the logistics to ripping a bank machine Monday night from the lobby of a Pointe-aux-Trembles credit union.

Fire at factory in eastern China 'kills 18'

Bejing - Eighteen people died in a fire at a food packaging plant in China, state media said Monday, the latest accident in a country blighted by poor industrial safety standards.

California refinery city sends industry-backed candidates packing

Richmond - Voters in the Northern California city of Richmond rejected four refinery-backed candidates in Tuesday's city council election despite $3 million in Chevron-funded campaign advertising.

Investigation opens into U.S. spaceship mishap

Wallops Island - NASA is warning coastal Virginia residents not to touch any debris they find from Tuesday night's explosion and crash of a rocket and supply capsule headed for the International Space Station.

World Series tickets saved from fire, woman meets George Brett

Kansas City - A Kansas City woman willing to risk life, limb and the possibility of arrest to rescue her World Series tickets from her burning home, ended up crossing paths with baseball legend George Brett upon conclusion of the ordeal.

North, South Korean troops exchange border fire

Seoul - North and South Korean troops briefly exchanged fire Sunday in the latest in a series of minor border skirmishes that have raised military tensions on the divided peninsula.

Sneak Peak of LA’s STEAM Carnival will be at a Hacker Preview Day

Los Angeles - An entertainment engineering company called Two Bit Circus will hold the world’s 1st “Carnival from the Future.” A Hacker Preview day will be held beforehand to show what types of experiences will be seen at the carnival.

Weed man charged with starting Northern California wildfire

Weed - A 24-year-old Northern California man was arrested and charged Saturday with starting the Boles fire that burned through the tiny lumber town of Weed, destroying more than 150 homes.

Massive King fire in Northern California fully contained

Placerville - California's disastrous King fire that burned nearly 100,000 acres of mostly forested land in Northern California has been fully contained, officials said Thursday.

U.S. flight chaos after Chicago air-traffic control arson

Chicago - Hundreds of flights were grounded at two major Chicago airports after an employee at an air traffic control center lit a fire and tried to commit suicide, officials said.