VIDEO/PHOTOS: First responders hurry to Rockford's west side to put out an apartment fire late Wednesday evening. Just after 9 p.m. on July 24, Rockford firefighters rushed to the scene of an apartment fire in the 2100 block of Auburn Street. First responders on the scene reported seeing heavy fire from the second story of the building. Crews battled heavy smoke and fire conditions on the second floor, but they say they contained the blaze within 30 minutes. Firefighters did not find any residents inside the apartment at the time of the fire. The Rockford Fire Department estimates the fire caused $275,000 in damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

VIDEO: An abandoned church in Danville was reduced to rubble overnight after a three-alarm fire broke out. The church was at Fowler Avenue and Clyman Lane and the fire started around 9 p.m. It was an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Danville Fire Department, and they needed even more help from the surrounding area. "Our Chief arrived on the scene first, saw smoke, realized that it was the church, which is a large structure," said Captain Neil Yelenick. "Immediately called for a second alarm, which brings in another crew, and with the workload and the humidity last night, it escalated to a call back to the entire department." A total of 35 firefighters were needed to fight the fire, and Chief Aaron Marcott said nearly all resources of the DFD were exhausted over the next 12 hours.  

PHOTOS: At least 1,500 vehicles, if not more, inside of an estimated 20-acre junkyard in the Antelope Valley burned in a three-alarm blaze Thursday. Firefighters responded to reports of a "yard fire" at 421 W Ave I off of Sierra Highway in Lancaster just after 3 p.m., L.A. County Fire confirmed to KTLA. In video of the blaze posted to social media, thick plumes of black smoke were seen coming from the location and drifting over the nearby Sierra Highway. Initially, fire officials reported that an estimated 300 crushed vehicles were on fire, though that number continued to rise as the flames spread. Aerial footage from Sky5 showed several explosions, as well as flames jumping the fence causing firefighters to quickly extinguish small vegetation fires.  

VIDEO: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS (or forever chemicals) can be found in almost every American's bloodstream. Based on your career, though, you could be more exposed than others. The National Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study is starting its research into PFAS and firefighters' health in North Carolina. Researchers from Duke and NC State are leading the study, hoping to follow firefighters throughout their careers to analyze how PFAS are affecting them. PFAS can be found in certain types of firefighting foam and are used to make firefighters' uniforms water and oil-repellant. "The occupation of firefighting in 2022 was named a known carcinogen," researcher Bryan Ormond with NC State said.  

PHOTO: Escambia County EMS is showing off their new ambulances and they have a different look. Four new ambulances are now wrapped with a Blue Angels theme. The county says the design was developed by an employee and retrofitted by a company to be applied to the ambulances' shape and model. "Being here in Escambia County and Pensacola, the Blue Angels are a pride and joy of this area," Training Supervisor Houston Harvell said. "So anytime we will pull from them to reemphasize what this area is about." They had the new designs put on right before Red, White, and Blues weekend.  

VIDEO: If you saw emergency vehicles in the parking lot at Lambeau Field on Tuesday, there was no immediate danger. Local first responders gathered at Lambeau for a combined training. Officials participated in a simulated event that helped them prepare for the upcoming Packers season. Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis says this practice helps with communication and learning where to prioritize resources for all public safety, fire, and EMS workers at large public events. This training exercise practices communication and coordination through simulated events. Chief Davis says the type of training they participated in on Tuesday can be applied for any large event in the city, including the NFL Draft, highlighting the importance for each unit to be prepared for any situation.