VIDEO: A fire that tore through a Fort Worth apartment complex left five dozen people displaced and two people hospitalized, according to fire officials. The blaze broke out just before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a downstairs unit at the Handley Oaks Apartments at 2120 Handley Drive. In videos and pictures shared by residents, flames could be seen pouring out of a downstairs window. "We just had gone upstairs, and somebody just came beating real hard, saying the building was on fire," said Leisha Crain. "When we came out, there was flames that were just shooting out, and the roof at the top was on fire." Residents told NBC 5 the fire started in a ground-floor apartment where an older man lived. They saw him escape from the unit moments before his home was engulfed in flames.  

VIDEO: Robots, improved satellite maps and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are just a few of the tools firefighters may have at their disposal. On Thursday, a South by Southwest (SXSW) panel discussed the future of wildfire detection and response. Former firefighter and the panel moderator Jay Stalnacker said this new technology is the future of firefighting. "We'll see a lot of innovative technology around AI, taking data, bring it in, making good maps," Stalnacker said. "Then making it make sense to the robot or the autonomous part of it." Stalnacker said there's everything from sound waves that can put a fire out to smoke sensors that can determine the difference between a campfire and wildland fire. One thing that can be a barrier to new tech is the cost. Stalnacker said this needs to happen at an affordable price.  

A big change is coming to the Reagan, Texas Volunteer Fire Department. Reagan VFD announced in a social media post that it is merging with Marlin Volunteer Fire Department, which will allow the department to "serve their community with additional manpower and resources." Reagan VFD said residents will still see VFD members serving their community, they will just "bring along some of their friends." Anyone with questions can contact Reagan VFD through their Facebook page. Reagan VFD said their page will remain up for another few weeks, but residents should join the Marlin VFD page to keep up with current events and burn ban information. "We look forward to an exciting new future," said Reagan VFD in the post.  

VIDEO: There are dozens of fire stations in Austin, but have you ever looked closely at each station's engine? You might see some strange creatures serving as mascots — like a stuffed squirrel. KUT listener Daniel Rutledge spotted the squirrel in question riding shotgun on Austin fire engine 11. He wanted to know the story behind it, so he reached out to KUT's ATXplained project. Multimedia producer Michael Minasi spoke with Station 11 firefighter Logan Hendricks about the taxidermy mascot, which was inspired by the station's friendship with a squirrel who met an unfortunate demise.  

Crews worked throughout the day Thursday to get a FedEx tractor trailer off I-90 and onto the road below, after a crash in the morning sent the truck over the railing on a bridge, barely hanging on above Pittsford Mendon Center Road. The truck was removed from I-90, the state Thruway, shortly before 5 p.m. New York State Police say it happened around 8:50 p.m. when the truck driver sideswiped a disabled vehicle and flipped over the bridge guiderail. Its two trailers fell down below onto Pittsford Mendon Center Road. Three adults and an infant were inside the disabled vehicle and were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Crews say the driver of the FedEx truck also has minor injuries. The front part of the truck was demolished by the guiderail, but the cab, also called the driver's seat portion, is mostly fine.  

VIDEO: Some Tempe firefighters who were enjoying a pickleball game between calls Tuesday had to abruptly end their break when a car almost ran them over in their station's parking lot. The first responders quickly shifted from play to work mode to take care of the driver after he crashed into parked vehicles. The incident at Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Station 3, on McClintock Drive south of Baseline Road, was captured on surveillance video. The footage shows four firefighters playing pickleball on a court set up in the parking lot. Between points in the game, a car suddenly appears in the background heading toward the players. The firefighters can be seen scattering as the car mows down one of the two pickleball nets set up in the lot and slams into three parked vehicles, just a few feet from where the game was happening moments earlier.  

VIDEO: Fort Myers Firefighter Sean McNamara said they're getting used to a special truck that can attack difficult situations unlike any in their fleet. It's been about 100 years since they had to use a truck like this, but this one is modern. "This truck is a 107-foot straight stick ladder, it is different from our other ladder trucks," McNamara said. "Our trucks now are rear-mounted ladders and this is a mid-mount ladder. It basically means that it has different functions and can {be} placed differently than a rear-mount ladder." That's not the only unique feature of the truck, there is a driver at the front and the back of the truck to navigate turns. Ray Rodriguez, the captain paramedic, said that allows them to move in tight areas which is a huge plus.  

VIDEO: Two first responders from southeast Wisconsin are competing on the 36th season of "The Amazing Race." Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith are best friends and firefighters. Pulver works for the Madison Fire Department and Smith works for the New Berlin Fire Department. The two quickly became best friends while receiving their training and are now ready to race into a new challenge. The dynamic duo joined CBS 58's Alex Corradetti in studio to discuss their time on "The Amazing Race." Pulver and Smith started the process by creating an audition video. "It was all Bizzy's idea of course. She was like, 'Do you want to do this with me? Do you want to be on TV?' I was like, of course I do," said Pulver. The ladies were away from their loved ones for 30 days, without phones or access to social media.