Members of a northwest suburban fire department are mourning the loss of one of their lieutenants who died this week after more than two decades with the department. Fire Lieutenant Mark Pytlewicz had spent 22 years with the Elk Grove Village Fire Department, holding several positions, including company officer, technical rescue team, honor guard and more. A spokesperson for the department shared the news in a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon. "We ask that you keep his family, friends, and colleagues in your thoughts during this difficult time," a spokesperson for the department said. To honor Lt. Pytlewicz's life and service, all Elk Grove Village fire stations will display bunting and flags will be flown at half-staff. Officials from the fire department did not say what led to Lt. Pytlewicz's death.  

One home burned early Monday in the City of Beardstown. According to a report from the Beardstown Fire Department, emergency dispatch received a report of a structure fire in the 1200 block of Adams Street just after 1:30AM Monday. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the basement and 1st floor windows. An aggressive attack was made stopping the spread of fire. There was heavy smoke damage throughout the home, with heavy fire damage contained to the basement and portions of the first floor. Origin of the fire was in the basement, but the cause is unknown at this time and remains under investigation. The homeowners were alerted by working smoke detectors as well as a neighbor whom had just gotten home from work.  

VIDEO: Construction is underway in Washington Park, Illinois, for a new building that will house the city's fire department. Mayor Leonard Moore says he's glad to get the work underway after a disastrous fire. "I don't have words to even explain how it feels. It's been a long time coming," Moore said. It was three years ago this month when the Washington Park Fire Department and Public Works building went up in flames. It was completely destroyed. "When the fire was happening, I was in the hospital," Moore said. "All of a sudden, I see ‘breaking news.' When I looked at it, I just knew the building was gone because it was engulfed." The city announced in early August that funding by the state had been secured for this new facility. It will exclusively house the city's fire department, complete with shelter and showers for firefighters. It will also have parking for firetrucks.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Video taken Tuesday afternoon shows flaming piles of old railroad ties. Approved drone video was captured by WXOW of the fire at the Omaha Track facility on French Island. Firefighters from multiple departments have been on the scene at the business off of Bainbridge Street for more than 15 hours attempting to put out the fire. Through the video, you can see firefighters spraying water on the piles of railroad ties. No injuries have been reported so far.  

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Hurricane Helene laid waste to the southeastern United States. Its sheer wind force and deadly floods left behind a path of destruction stretching over 500 miles from Florida to the Southern Appalachians. In just 48 hours, vast swaths of the region became unrecognizable. The storm has caused at least 130 deaths, and officials fear the toll could rise as many people remain unaccounted for. Communities were cut off and stranded as floodwaters washed away hundreds of roads, buildings, homes and vehicles. Communication infrastructure is in shreds. Millions of people have also lost power and access to water across at least six states. Helene's path of devastation started on Florida's Gulf Coast, as it traveled to the Big Bend.  

VIDEO: Stopping sideshows with a piece of plastic—that's what traffic safety advocates are pushing in the city of Sacramento. They're called "armadillos" because the curved roadway dividers resemble the small animal with an armored shell. The plastic bumps get a driver's attention if they're run over, and at high speed, they could cause a tire to loose traction. Cities like St. Louis have installed them along bike lanes. Now, traffic safety advocate Isaac Gonzalez said they could also be placed in Sacramento intersections to prevent reckless driving. "This discourages people from being able to do burnouts, donuts, sideshows," said Gonzalez, founder of Slow Down Sacramento. Margarita Chavez is sick of seeing sideshows in her south Sacramento neighborhood. Many nearby intersections are covered with burnt-out tire marks.  

VIDEO: The City of Hattiesburg unveiled the reconstruction of its first fire ladder truck. Restoring the 85-year-old truck became a passion project for the Hub City in the last 10 years. The truck, which was purchased in 1939, had been sitting in disrepair since the early 2000s. The project to restore the truck began after Sherrocko Stewart became the fire chief in 2018. Several local businesses and organizations helped locate and build new parts for the vehicle. "When I saw the project, I knew that I needed to be a part of it. I want to see it through. So, we went through the process. It took years, but we finally completed it last year," said Stewart. The truck is named "The Barksdale," after former Fire Chief Ed Barksdale.