Officials are mourning the death of a Huntley Fire Protection District lieutenant who died on Wednesday after recently retiring due to an advanced-stage cancer diagnosis. Huntley Fire Chief Scott Ravagnie on Friday announced the death of Lieutenant Ken Larsen. Larsen was a 21.5-year veteran of the Huntley Fire Protection District. He began his service in May 2002 and retired in November 2023. "He was a beloved member of the fire service community and is remembered for his dedication, leadership, and passion for helping others," Ravagnie said. Larsen served as a firefighter-paramedic with the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District prior to Huntley. He served for Woodstock from 1987 through 2008. He was also an active member of the Lake Geneva Fire Department, "further exemplifying his commitment to protecting and serving multiple communities," Ravagnie said.  

PHOTOS: Joliet Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Batusich issued a statement on Sunday night providing more details of the mid-afternoon fire that created a giant black cloud of smoke over Joliet's east side, a black cloud you could see for miles and miles across Joliet's skyline. According to Batusich: At 3:35 p.m. on Sunday, Joliet's Fire Department responded to the 200 block of Logan Avenue for a tire fire. The first units arrived within 4 minutes of the call and were met with heavy black smoke and fire. Hundreds of tires were on fire in a vacant lot. Multiple hose lines were used to extinguish the fire. City of Joliet Public Works assisted in extinguishment by supplying a front-end loader so fire crews could access the tires. The fire was declared under control at 4:30 p.m.  

VIDEO: An extra-alarm fire was raging in an old and historic textile factory in the Lawndale neighborhood Friday night. The fire broke out in the old Western Felt Works building at 4115 W. Ogden Ave., about a block west of Pulaski Road. Flames were seen shooting from the roof, and thick black smoke billowed into the air. The Fire Department called a 3-11 alarm, which automatically sent 12 fire engines, four fire trucks, two tower ladders, and other equipment—along with about 125 firefighters. The Western Felt Works building was one of three Ogden-Keeler industrial buildings on the Endangered List compiled by Preservation Chicago. Western Felt Works was founded in 1899, and Preservation Chicago said its building dates back to 1916. The fire has since been extinguished. There was no immediate information on the cause or injuries in the fire.  

Fire officials in Grapevine said an accidental electrical fire broke out on a boat at Silver Lake Marina on Sunday, spreading to at least nine other boats and leaving one person injured. Officials told NBC 5 that the fire was brought under control and investigators are looking into what caused the flames to break out. According to police, one person has a broken leg and may have a head injury. "I've seen some of the pictures online, it's scary, it's scary," said Steve Puren, who has a boat at the marina. "It's unbelievable, unbelievable." A cloud of black smoke was seen over the lake Sunday afternoon. One video shared with NBC 5 showed firetrucks presumably on the way to the scene. Investigators said around 1:15 PM, someone tried to start their boat at the marina when a possible electrical issue caused the boat to catch fire.  

VIDEO: As flood waters swept through Cocke County and its surrounding areas, first responders worked to rescue those in need of help. At the Parrottsville Fire Department, they were working to make it to a home when flood waters became so high that they caused their truck to stop working. "We heard trees breaking behind us, we didn't know what was going on. We heard trees break and then the water just started rising," said firefighter Henry Riegger. Riegger said that he and the other firefighters on board of the brush truck had to swim out of the vehicle and get rescued by another department as water started to get inside. "I've never seen water move that fast, never. To pick up a truck that heavy and move it away and have a hard time even getting a military vehicle out of that water was pretty surreal," said Riegger.  

VIDEO: Firefighters across Minnesota continue to seek help for post-traumatic stress in record-setting numbers. George Esbensen, president of the Minnesota Firefighters Initiative (or MnFire), told us the number of firefighters across Minnesota who've sought help for post-traumatic stress and other medical issues continues to grow, with 1,400 seeking assistance in 2023 and so far through August of this year, more than 900 have asked for help. "Certainly, the world is not getting any calmer or any less complex," said Esbensen. Many firefighters also serve as EMS providers and there has been an increase in violence against them as well, according to Esbensen. "And, certainly the fire service is exposed to that, too, just increased levels of craziness, chaos I would say, out there," said Esbensen.  

VIDEO: It's been 20 years since Smokey Bear struck a 670-foot radio tower west of Balloon Fiesta Park on Oct. 10, 2004. The hot air balloon became entangled in the 50,000-watt tower with two children and their pilot inside. Retired Los Ranchos Fire Department Lt. Dan Barela recalls the horrors of the incident when he and a PNM worker rescued all three inside. There were no injuries reported from the incident. "It was myself and a PNM worker that ended up climbing up there to where two kids and the pilot were. I got to the first kid, and then the other gentleman was behind me. We passed that kid off to him, and he took him down," Barela said. "I continued climbing to the second child and then lowered him to a platform. I had him stage there with a harness while the PNM worker climbed back up to him, and I proceeded to climb up to the pilot. He had climbed down a little bit, but it was still pretty close to the top."