One firefighter was injured and taken to Hendrick Medical Center for evaluation. No other injuries were reported. The American Red Cross was contacted.

See the whole story at the Abilene Reporter News

Fire Chief Ken Dozier outlined a presentation that included a breakdown of his request. “Everybody on the council sees value in the program. The next question is, how are we going to fund it?” said councilman Robert Briley, who said he “would encourage consideration” of using reserve funds for the program.

See the whole story at the Abilene Reporter News

Updated Story: Paramedic program receives partial funding.
By Jaime Adame in The Abilene Reporter-News

The Abilene Fire Department’s paramedic program would receive about $254,500 in funding for equipment and medical direction as part of a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year preliminarily approved by the Abilene City Council this morning.

But left unfunded–at least for now–are three positions that would have enabled the department to have a paramedic able to be dispatched at all times and offer support to other paramedics in the field.

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/jul/27/part-fire-departments-paramedic-requests-get-preli/

Shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday, a 57-year-old woman called 911 to report that her kitchen was full of smoke. When firefighters responded to the home in the 2000 block of Jameson Street, they discovered flames inside a kitchen wall near an outlet.

The fire was under control within about 20 minutes, said Lt. Greg Goettsch, public information officer for the AFD. Damage was estimated at around $5,500 and was limited to the kitchen wall and ceiling.

The woman and a 13-year-old girl escaped the home unharmed. Neither of the residents were taken to the hospital.

Faulty electrical wiring was listed as the cause.

The fire was brought under control less than 30 minutes after fire crews arrived on the scene but the building and its contents suffered about $35,000 in damage.

One dog died in the blaze, but no other injuries were reported.

The fire is still under investigation, officials said.

The owner and the occupants of the building have been notified and are checking to see if anything can be salvaged. In all, six units with 18 personnel responded to the fire.

A total of seven units and nineteen firefighters responded to the fire at about 8 p.m.
Crews found that a flash fire, caused by a propone cook stove in use when the woman was attempting to boil water, had ignited inside. Kincaid said everything in the trailer was intact, but that a few plastic items had melted from the flash fire.
Read more here.

According to an Abilene Fire Department press release, the accident happened as Engine 5 was traveling south on Overland Trail, returning to the station from an alarm activation call at the Grove Apartments. Crew members reported that as the engine approached the Ambler intersection, the engine began to accelerate without cause.

When the driver tried to bring the engine to a stop, it slid sideways and turned 180 degrees, crossing into the left-hand lane of traffic. Once the tires of the engine came into contact with the shoulder, they “dug into the soft gravel, causing the engine to flip onto its side.”

Once the incident occurred, crew members issued a “mayday” report and additional units responded. All four of Engine Five’s crew members were able to exit the vehicle on their own before help arrived. Each was taken to Hendrick Medical Center for precaution and all were evaluated and released with minor injuries.

Fire Department Lt. Greg Goettsch reported that speed did not appear to be a factor in the accident. It had rained and the roads were wet, which could have played a part, as well as a possible malfunction in the vehicle.

Goettsch said the cause of the rollover will be under investigation “for a while.”

“I am just grateful that no one was injured more than they were,” said Abilene Fire Chief Ken Dozier.

Division Chief Joey Kincaid said Friday’s service was not impacted at all because it was a city furlough day, and Engine 5 was to be out of service anyway. In addition, engine service for the Fourth of July weekend and service thereafter is covered with a reserve engine.

The engine involved in the rollover was a 1996 Sutphen. It sustained heavy damage and had to be towed to the fire station.

The engine will be evaluated by mechanics to determine if the department must purchase a new engine for replacement or if the engine can be repaired. Kincaid said it would cost the fire department approximately $500,000 to purchase a new engine.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes, said Joey Kincaid of the AFD. Crews stayed on the scene to put out hot spots for several hours.

All four family members had left the house by the time firefighters arrived thanks to the smoke detector alarm. Fire damage was confined to a bedroom, but the remainder of the house sustained extensive heat and smoke damage.

Investigators ruled the fire accidental, Kincaid said.

Fire department officials said the man escaped, and was transported to Hendrick Medical Center with third degree burns on one arm. He was later transported to Parkland Hospital in Dallas to be treated for the burns. There were no other injuries.

When fire fighters arrived on the scene, the building was heavily involved, said Greg Goettsch of the AFD.

“Fire was coming out everywhere,” Goettsch said.

Fire fighters got the fire on the ground level of the building contained but flames spread quickly to the awning around the building. The fire was extinguished by 11:30 a.m.

Division Chief Joey Kincaid said nothing indicates the fire was accidental.

“There is no reason it would have been an accidental fire,” Kincaid said. “They (investigators) are still pursuing things. I can’t comment on any of that right now.”

The fire began in the rear of the house. Witnesses and firefighters reported hearing loud explosions. Kincaid said the explosions are likely from cans of gasoline and paint in the sheds that caught fire.

“There were quite a few of those around,” he said.

Kincaid said the house was vacant and believes the tenant had died earlier this year.

Firefighters took more than an hour to control the flames. Ten units and 33 firefighters fought the blaze.

Firefighters extinguished the fire and rescued the family’s two poodles that were inside.