Deputy Chief Kyle Hensch with the Urbana Fire Department is announcing his retirement. Deputy Chief Hensch is a 34-year veteran of the fire service, with 25 of those years serving the City of Urbana. Hensch earned multiple fire service certifications throughout his career and was promoted through every ranked position before being appointed as Deputy Fire Chief by Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin on May 7, 2022. Hensch officially retires on Friday, March 8.  

VIDEO: Hearing an alarm is crucial when trying to make it out of a house fire safely. But what about those who are hearing impaired? The Villa Grove Fire Department wants to make a safe exit easier for one family in its area. They're doing that with bed shaker fire alarms. The special alarm can be placed under a mattress, where it will vibrate in the event of an emergency. The department is getting help from the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance to give it out free of charge. "It comes down to, you know, this is something that you can't afford, versus putting food on the table," said Chris Elston, Assistant Fire Chief. "We want to be able to be there for the community to provide them, because it is the one of the easiest things to do to detect a fire and get everybody out of the house." A bed shaker fire alarm can usually cost around $250.  

VIDEO: Chicago firefighters battled a house fire Thursday afternoon on the city's Northwest Side. Chopper7 was over the scene of the fire around 3:45 p.m. in the 2500 block of North Luna Avenue, in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. A mayday response was initially declared, the Chicago Fire Department said. That call signaled a firefighter was in danger and needed help, but was canceled shortly after it went out. A Chicago Fire Department spokesperson wasn't able to say the reason for the call, but officials said no injuries were reported. The fire has been put out, fire officials said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  

Firefighters spent hours battling a huge fire at what is believed to be a former cardboard warehouse in South Jersey. Fire crews responded to the large building along Sykes Lane in Monroe Township, before 10 p.m. Thursday. As SkyForce10 hovered over the scene, thick smoke and heavy flames could be seen engulfing the Gloucester County building. County dispatchers said the building appeared to be a former cardboard facility. The flames weren't under control until almost 1 a.m. Friday, they said. Luckily, no injuries were reported, dispatchers said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  

Raleigh is disciplining an unknown number of firefighters after a local rapper filmed a music video at Raleigh Fire Station 12. The city previously said it was investigating after the rapper known as CEO Shoutoutt filmed his "Fire Drill" freestyle rap in front of the station on Poole Road. On Thursday, a group that represents local firefighters said those involved had been disciplined and that the group was looking into the matter. "We are aware of disciplinary actions issued to the members we represent for the incident that occurred on January 29th outside station 12," according to a statement from the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association. "We are looking further into the matter to ensure all policies and procedures were followed." The video, shared on the rapper's YouTube page, shows two Raleigh fire trucks with their lights on and the rapper wearing a plastic red fire helmet. No firefighters appear in the music video.  

VIDEO: The Ishpeming City Fire Department is trying to track down an antique fire truck it had decades ago. The department traded in its 1951 Pirsch Pumper in 1995 for a truck the department still uses today. According to Ishpeming City Fire Chief Jason Annala, the truck changed hands several times until it was sold online in 2018 on the Fenton Fire Equipment website. Now the fire department is trying to track down the owner so it can buy it back. Annala says the truck is a piece of Ishpeming's history and he'd like to see it come home. "We like to preserve history," said Annala. "We have our 1923 Seagrave Pumper still, we have a horse cart, and we have a hand pumper cart. It would be nice to get one of the newer older vehicles back." If you have any information on the truck, contact the Ishpeming City Fire Department's Facebook page or email Annala.  

Product safety regulators are urging Evercross EV5 hoverboard users to find another ride, pronto. The product is a fire hazard and led to a blaze that caused substantial property damage to a residential building in New York City in May of 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Thursday. Made in China by Jinhua Smart Electric Technology Co., the hoverboards come in black, blue or pink, with Evercross printed on the front. They sell online for between $180 and $300 on Amazon, eBay, Likesporting, Lowes, Newegg, Ridefaboard and Walmart, according to the CPSC. Owners of the hoverboards should immediately remove the battery pack and take it to a battery recycler or hazardous waste collection center.