A Chicago firefighter was critically injured in a blaze at a West Side apartment on Sunday afternoon, officials said. The fire broke out at a building in the North Austin neighborhood's 1200 block of North Lavergne Avenue. A firefighter, a man in his 30s, was transported to West Suburban Medical Center in serious condition, the Chicago Fire Department said. He was taken to Loyola Medical for further treatment, where he is listed in critical condition. A mayday call was issued as a precaution. The fire has since been extinguished, CFD said. Officials did not elaborate on the firefighter's injuries and did not immediately provide further information.  

A ceremony was held at Peoria's Fire Academy to honor 14 new graduates. Future firefighters from across the state were sworn in as probationary firefighters, and come from Champaign, Pekin, East Peoria, Rock Falls and in Peoria. One of the graduates, Matt Foster, says he's very much looking forward to his career change. "Originally, I was teaching, so this is a career change for me. But, at one point I just decided I wanted to do more with myself, and this is where I ended up," said Foster. Peoria Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger added he expects to see another recruiting class in the fall, and another again in the spring.  

VIDEO: Authorities were responding to a reported house explosion in Lisle Saturday evening, officials say. According to the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department, firefighters were responding to a single family home explosion in the 4500 block of Ivanhoe in Lisle. No injuries were initially reported. But neighbors say they were picking up pieces of the home blocks away from the blast. According to the DuPage County Sheriff's Office, the incident was the result of a natural gas explosion. Although they are still trying to determine a specific cause, they add there was no evidence of foul play. Neighbors came from blocks away after hearing--and feeling--the blast. "When I heard it, it shook my whole house," said Estefany Sanchez. Neighbors in every direction say the same thing.  

Fire crews have gained control of a 4-alarm fire that ignited in a neighborhood near 40th Street and McDowell Road Friday afternoon. The Phoenix Fire Department said the fire started as a backyard palm tree fire that quickly spread into dense vegetation and surrounding homes. The hot embers from the fire became airborne and landed on nearby homes, alleyways and vegetation. Firefighters told 12News that two homes were destroyed, and four others were damaged, along with some small backyard structures. Officials said power was lost in the area affecting more than two dozen residents. Power was eventually restored late Friday night. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego visited the neighborhood to survey the damage and offer her support to the community. There were no injuries to any residents or firefighters.  

PHOTO: The Santa Fe Fire Department and the Kiwanis Club have given Old Man Gloom a new role — putting out fires instead of burning in them. For nearly a century, the giant marionette officially known as Zozobra has burned to the ground every year at Santa Fe's Fort Marcy park, turning people's collected glooms to ash. But now Zozobra has taken a new form as a brand-new fire engine dubbed Zozobra 1. The engine, which will accompany firefighters and paramedics from Murales Road's Fire Station 1, was formally unveiled Friday morning steps away from where he has been lit on fire 98 times. The truck is decorated with decals of Zozobra in flames on the sides of the truck. Fire Chief Brian Moya said his department's first themed fire engine cost $750,000 — plus $50,000 for design work — and took about 3½ years to go from design phase to getting approvals to getting it made in Louisiana to the unveiling ceremony.  

Flames towered above a South Los Angeles store early Saturday when a fire burned for more than an hour at the two-story structure. Firefighters were called at about 1:30 a.m. to the 4100 block of S. Broadway and 41st streets. Heavy smoke was billowing through the roof of the Best Bargain store and there were signs of possible structural collapse, forcing firefighters to battle the fire from the outside. The department deployed a RS3 robotic firefighting vehicle inside the building. The bright yellow robot has tracks like a tank. Hooked to a hose line, it can enter structurally compromised buildings and spray water from the inside as firefighters control the vehicle remotely from outside. A home behind the store was not damaged. More than 80 firefighters extinguished the flames in about 90 minutes.