Murder Capital Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says -Saving Lives- Is Her #1 Priority
Murder Capital Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says -Saving Lives- Is Her #1 Priority
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Self destruction of a BM-21 Grad MLRS after rocket failure
Self destruction of a BM-21 Grad MLRS after rocket failure
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New M5.6 quake hits Turkey
One killed after 5.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Turkey near Malatya
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Body cam footage shows moment of harrowing Pompton Lakes house explosion
When a house in Pompton Lakes exploded while firefighters were inside, officials were relieved that no one was killed.
“We were blessed,” borough fire official John Keating said at the time, after being asked how nobody died.
Police body camera footage recently obtained by The Record and NorthJersey.com through an Open Public Records Act request provides a clear look at the blast, showing a large fireball shoot out the rear of the house.
Body cam footage from three different Pompton Lakes officers shows not only the explosion, but what led up to it, as well as the chaotic aftermath.
A total of six firefighters were inside the Ramapo Avenue home when it exploded, officials said. According to Keating, they were inside for less than a minute before it exploded at 2:19 a.m. on Jan. 14. None of the firefighters suffered life-threatening injuries, though two were taken to the hospital to be treated for burns and were released.
The three cops whose body cameras captured the blast were standing on Riverdale Road, adjacent to the side of the house. At the beginning of the videos, smoke can be seen coming out of the dwelling, but no flames were visible. At the time of the explosion, one firefighter is seen standing on the back porch.
The three officers were chatting moments before the explosion suddenly happened, causing them to run from the blast. The force of the explosion blew the roof upwards. When the officers turned back toward the house, flames are seen inside the blown out home and on the grass surrounding it.
Photos taken later that morning show that much of the structure, including the roof eventually collapsed.
Right after the explosion, one of the officers is shown running around to the other side of the house, where the entire facing was blown out. That officer can be heard telling responding EMTs to approach the house "from the back."
On another of the officers body cams, two firefighters can be seen walking a third from the house after the explosion. Someone can be heard saying over a radio, "I need medics here."
The officer's footage cuts off when he and another officer are running a hose toward a fire hydrant on the other side of Ramapo Avenue.
When the firefighters arrived at the scene, a team of three entered the basement, where they believed the fire was, Keating said on Jan. 14. Another team of two went in behind them, along with the assistant chief.
“I thought we were going to have six fatalities, I really did,” Pompton Lakes Fire Chief Jason Ekkers said at the time. “They managed to climb out of the basement with compromised stairs. They all helped each other out, they came out one at a time, and we were at the back door, just feeding them out.”
Neighbor Kim Forsyth didn’t hear the boom because she sleeps with earplugs. But her two kids heard it and felt the house shake.
“My daughter was horrified and terrified,” Forsyth said. “She was having a heart attack, screaming. She couldn’t figure out what it was.”
Keating and police Chief Derek Clark did not immediately respond to an inquiry regarding the results of the investigation into the cause of the explosion.
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Angry wife takes revenge on husband's car (video)
Angry wife takes revenge on husband's car (video)
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Huge blaze at Mexico's largest oil storage facility in Veracruz
In April 2021, a massive blaze broke out at Mexico's largest oil storage facility in the port city of Veracruz. The fire reportedly started in one of the storage tanks at the facility and quickly spread to others, causing multiple explosions and a large plume of black smoke to rise into the sky.
The facility is owned by the state-run oil company Pemex, and is located near residential areas and a busy port. The fire led to the evacuation of nearby residents and businesses, as well as the closure of the port and suspension of some local flights.
Firefighters and emergency crews worked for hours to contain the blaze, which was finally brought under control the next day. There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries, but the incident caused significant damage to the storage tanks and disrupted operations at the facility.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is suspected to have been triggered by a lightning strike or electrical malfunction. The incident raised concerns about the safety of Mexico's aging oil infrastructure and the risks associated with storing large quantities of petroleum products in densely populated areas.
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Durango police release bodycam footage after accusation of brutality
The facts seem straightforward enough. The Durango Police Department received a call on Valentine’s Day that a man wanted on a warrant for sexual assault out of Montezuma County was inside The Boarding Haus snowboard and skate shop on Main Avenue in downtown Durango.
The caller, a close family member, warned police that the man – 19-year-old Samuel Keon Potterton of Telluride – would resist arrest. And he did.
That’s the straightforward part. Then came the accusation of police brutality by a passerby on her lunch break, who stopped on the sidewalk and watched as five police officers surrounded Potterton as he was led in handcuffs out of the shop and into the back of a waiting patrol car.
Christa Turnell emailed The Durango Herald shortly after witnessing the arrest.
“I see egregious police violence against maybe a homeless man who was inside the door of a business,” Turnell wrote. “... What the problem was is irrelevant. It was ONE man and there were five cops. They had his arms pinned elbows up in violation of the Geneva Convention and simple good policing.”
Turnell went on to question the need for five police officers to arrest one “little guy” and wrote, “I was yelling at them to stop because civilized people don’t beat people up ever.” She added that even if the suspect was wanted for murder, why should five guys beat the guy? Turnell ended the email by accusing the police of wasting tax dollars and called for the officers involved to either be cut from the force or “show” why it was happening.
The Durango Herald contacted the police department about the brutality accusation. The DPD responded by inviting the Herald to review and share with readers all the bodycam footage collected from the officers involved, while also explaining its reasoning for sending five officers to arrest Potterton.
“Obviously it’s a hot topic going on around the country right now with the Memphis incident and everything else, but every time, every single time we use force it’s going to shock the conscience, and it’s going to look bad anytime you lay hands on another human being,” said Deputy Police Chief Brice Current. “If you have any humanity, it's not going to sit well.”
Bodycam footage from the second officer to arrive at The Boarding Haus shows one officer already in the store. A third and fourth officer arrive before they approach and advise potterton that he is under arrest. Police manage to get one of his wrists cuffed before he begins to struggle. The officers then constrain him without inflicting or receiving any blows as they lower him slowly to the floor.
Potterton curses and threatens to kill them as he continues to struggle. Police advise him to stay cool and calm and stop fighting as they work to reposition him face down and cuff the other wrist. Two police officers hold his legs, while another holds his torso down with his hands. A fifth officer, a supervisor, has arrived to oversee the arrest.
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Tram vs. Car
When a car collides with a tram, the impact can be severe, with the potential for serious injuries or fatalities. Trams are often much larger and heavier than cars, and they cannot swerve or change direction as easily, making it difficult to avoid collisions. Additionally, trams often travel at high speeds and may not be able to stop quickly, particularly in wet or slippery conditions.
To reduce the risk of accidents involving trams and cars, many cities have implemented safety measures such as dedicated tram lanes, traffic signals that prioritize trams, and barriers or fencing to prevent cars from crossing tram tracks. Drivers are also urged to be vigilant when driving near trams and to avoid crossing tram tracks unless it is safe to do so.
In any case, accidents can be traumatic and devastating for everyone involved, and it's important to prioritize safety and follow traffic laws to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
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