KOAA.com

Tagged News

• Firefighters Investigate String of Fires in Neighborhood Play Video

  March 29, 2013 9:45 AM

  An overnight fire in El Paso County left a home destroyed and investigators say it could be connected to a string of fires in the neighborhood. The home is located on Kachina Drive in the Cimarron Hills area of El Pasco County. Firefighters said the home caught fire just... more »

• Council to vote on police and fire pay raises

  March 15, 2013 8:27 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - Police officers and firefighters in Colorado Springs are poised to a get pretty good raise next year. The pay increases were recommended as part of a comprehensive study by the Waters Consulting Group which was hired by the city to evaluate compensation. Mayor Steve Bach says... more »

• Firefighters hold drills at Peterson Air Force Base

  January 16, 2013 4:19 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - The fire department at Peterson Air Force Base conducted live training exercises Wednesday afternoon on the west side of the installation. While the training is routine, smoke and flames were visible from the Powers Boulevard corridor. The base issued a news release Wednesday to calm any... more »

• Crews struggle to contain wildfires in NW Colorado

  August 4, 2012 2:21 PM

  CRAIG, Colo. (AP) - Firefighters are struggling to contain two lightning caused wildfires in northwest Colorado. The Wolf fire has scorched an estimated 1,200 acres Saturday, about five miles south of Elk Springs. Crews worked late into the night Friday to build an anchor point on that fire that's burning... more »

• Local volunteers join ranks fighting High Park Fire Play Video

  June 12, 2012 7:58 PM

  More than a dozen firefighters from Southern Colorado are heading to Larimer County to join the lines of the High Park Fire. Volunteers and trucks from Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Canon City and Westcliffe are all working the fire lines as part of a 500 person ground force. ... more »

• Fire crews face potential threats at abandoned home

  December 4, 2011 4:36 PM

  Around 7:45 Sunday, emergency crews responded to a fire at 5114 Balsam Street in Colorado Springs. When crews arrived on scene they discovered heavy smoke coming from the basement of an abandoned home. Eventually the fire spread through walls and the floor up to the main level posing a potential... more »

• Obama touts aid for emergency service workers

  October 19, 2011 3:30 PM

  NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama is pressing for Congress to spend billions of dollars to help firefighters facing layoffs. Obama said Wednesday that while the private sector continues to add jobs, financially strapped state and local governments are doing the opposite and cutting firefighters, teachers and... more »

• Photo of the day: Firefighters in full gear honor 9/11 on the incline

  September 11, 2011 11:27 PM

  This amazing photo was posted on our Facebook wall by Julie Schafer. It shows Firefighters from the Tri Lakes/Monument fire station climbing the incline in Manitou in honor of fallen fire fighters from 9/11. Juile says "They all climbed in full gear carrying the American Flag the whole way.... more »

• Colorado Springs Firefighters hold Fire Ops 101

  August 13, 2011 2:40 PM

  Colorado Springs Firefighters open their doors to teach community leaders what it's like to be a firefighter. Participants had the opportunity to go into a burning building and put out a fire and even use the jaws of life to open up a car, all under the supervision of... more »

• Taxes or firefighters in Black Forrest

  August 7, 2011 11:40 AM

  BLACK FOREST, Colo. (AP) - Voters in the small unincorporated community of Black Forest in El Paso County could face a bleak choice on ballots later this year - higher taxes, or fewer firefighters? A board overseeing the Black Forest Fire/Rescue plans to ask residents for the property tax increase... more »

• Firefighters put to the test at AFA

  August 6, 2011 8:06 PM

  Over 180 firefighters from 12 states and Canada put their minds and bodies to the test at the Firefighter Combat Challenge Saturday at the Air Force Academy. "They call it the toughest 2 minutes in sports." explains AFA Firefighter Patrick Kraft, "It's basically simulating fire - ground activities to include... more »

• No containment for Shell Fire

  June 9, 2011 6:54 PM

  The Shell Fire in Las Animas County has zero containment as of this morning, according to Las Animas County Emergency Management. The fire is burning 25,000 acres on both sides of Highway 109 between La Junta and Kim. The primary focus for today is on the west side of... more »

• Crews hope for good weather to rein in blaze

  March 12, 2011 12:06 PM

  BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Firefighters hope for a break in the weather as they try to contain a 200-acre wildfire in the foothills west of Boulder. Crews had contained 25 percent of the fire by Friday night and hoped to increase that to 50 percent by Saturday morning. ... more »

• Mother, twins escape house fire in Pueblo County

  February 18, 2011 4:22 PM

  A mother and her 4 year old twins survived an intense house fire in Pueblo County this morning. Firefighters say they escaped through a window before the home was completely destroyed. The fire happened on the 8400 block of Savage Rd. located a few miles east of Beulah. Volunteers... more »

• Volunteer firefighters needed

  January 21, 2011 4:00 PM

  The El Paso County Wildland Fire Crew is seeking new volunteers. Volunteers will receive training. The next Wildland Fire Academy will start April 2. Applications are due February 18. MORE INFORMATION more »

• Fire crews working a fire in Colorado Springs

  January 17, 2011 3:56 PM

  Colorado Springs fire crews say a house fire in the 15-hundred block of Glacier is under control. The fire started just before 2 p.m. in the SE part of the city. No word yet on a cause. more »

• Three year old boy, Grandmother rushed from scene of apartment fire

  December 13, 2010 7:12 PM

  Pueblo Fire Chief Chris Riley tells News First 5 a 3 year old boy and a woman who appears to be his Grandmother were rushed from the scene of an apartment fire this evening. The fire started around 4 p.m. at an apartment on West 13th Street. Riley says... more »

• Child rescued from Pueblo house fire; condition unknown

  December 13, 2010 6:42 PM

  Pueblo fire crews tell News First 5 a child has been rescued from a burning home on West 13th Street. We do not know the condition of the child right now. The fire started just before 4 p.m. We have a crew on the scene and we'll continue to... more »

• All people accounted for after thrift store partial collapse

  November 27, 2010 11:05 AM

  GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - Customers and employees have safely escaped after the partial collapse of a Colorado thrift store's ceiling. Firefighters carefully searched through the rubble for several hours Friday after employees said they thought a shopper might not have made it out of the Salvation Army store... more »

• Air tanker battling Boulder County wildfires

  October 29, 2010 2:53 PM

  Two wildfires sending a plume of smoke over Boulder have prompted evacuations, the call-up an air tanker, the mobilization of dozens of firefighters and the setting of backfires. By the numbers: one fire has burned 20 acres one fire has burned 5 acres 60 firefighters... more »

• Family gets out okay after house fire

  October 26, 2010 9:37 PM

  A Colorado Springs family got out of their home safely Tuesday night after a kitchen fire. They'll have to stay somewhere else tonight because of the damage. It happened on Corbett Lane near Nevada and Fillmore. A father, two kids and the family dog were home when the... more »

• Colorado wildfire now 40% contained

  October 6, 2010 8:22 AM

  Firefighters continue to build containment lines around a 530-acre wildfire burning in the mountains near Fraser. The fire, less than a square mile, is burning on public land and is about two miles away from homes. Because of that, and the risk posed by falling trees, firefighters are focusing... more »

• RI firefighters save 18-foot snake in burning home

  October 5, 2010 3:37 PM

  Firefighters often have to rescue people from burning homes, sometimes even a dog or cat. But the 18-foot Burmese python that firefighters had to drag out of a burning Rhode Island home just after midnight Monday may have been a first. Acting Chief Peter Henrikson tells The Providence Journal... more »

• Wildfire investigators focused on fire pit quickly

  October 1, 2010 12:42 PM

  Authorities investigating the cause of Colorado's most destructive wildfire zeroed in on a fire pit the day after the fire broke out. New details about the probe into the fire in the foothills near Boulder were included in documents released Thursday by the sheriff's office. The Denver Post... more »

• Insurer sent private firefighters to Boulder blaze

  September 21, 2010 4:26 PM

  Some homes threatened by a Colorado wildfire were protected by a private team of firefighters hired by an insurance company. The Boulder Daily Camera reported Tuesday that the crew hired by Chubb Corp. was operating under an agreement the insurance company has with Boulder County. The agreement limits... more »

• Firefighters in Utah race to beat wildfire, winds

  September 21, 2010 10:39 AM

  Crews are racing to reinforce fire lines before winds pick up again on a wildfire sparked during a military exercise at a Utah Army National Guard base. Fire spokeswoman Kim Osborn said Tuesday more firefighters are joining the 200-plus who worked Monday to fight the 4,300-acre Machine Gun fire... more »

• Boulder Wildfire Has Presidential Attention

  September 11, 2010 3:38 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Gov. Bill Ritter has met with firefighters, volunteers and families displaced by the wildfire near Boulder - and gotten words of encouragement from President Barack Obama. Ritter's spokesman says the president expressed his empathy and support for the families and firefighters. He says Obama wanted to ensure... more »

• Southern Colorado sending more resources to wildfire

  September 8, 2010 8:46 AM

  Colorado Springs Emergency Management is sending staff to Boulder County this morning to help bone-weary staffers there deal with day three of a wildfire that's leveled nearly 100 homes and other structures. Bret Waters, Director of CSEM received the request Tuesday afternoon. He committed the staff without hesitation. ... more »

• Firefighters counting burned homes in Boulder County

  September 7, 2010 8:43 AM

  At sunrise, firefighters began the grim task of counting the number of homes lost in a wind-whipped wildfire Monday. They plan a news conference around 9 am when they'll reveal the extent of damage from an inferno that sent them scrambling for safety several times Monday afternoon and evening. At... more »

• Woman still suffering a year after rattle snake bite

  August 13, 2010 6:38 PM

  A woman in Pueblo West is facing mounting medical bills and a terrifying health situation nearly a year after being bitten by a rattle snake. Rebecca Armstrong's pain and wounds are still so severe doctors may have to amputate her arm. "I never saw, I never heard anything, I felt... more »

• Serious auto-pedestrian accident in Colorado Springs

  August 12, 2010 9:11 AM

  Colorado Springs Police and Firefighters responded to an auto-pedestrian accident on Grand Prairie Dr. that left the victim critically injured. The crash happened in the early morning hours. The police department's Major Accidents Unit is investigating. more »

• Statue of Liberty to get new staircase for safety

  August 9, 2010 9:47 AM

  The 354 steps that spiral up to the Statue of Liberty's crown are the only escape route for visitors in case of an emergency. When a smoke alarm tripped inside last month, hundreds of tourists were rushed down the equivalent of 15 flights of stairs. Firefighters would need to... more »

• Senate passes bill to save teacher, police jobs

  August 5, 2010 12:23 PM

  Legislation long sought by Democrats to prevent layoffs of tens of thousands of teachers, police and other public workers has passed the Senate. The bill would help states and local school boards deal with severe budget problems. It would preserve the jobs of perhaps 300,000 public employees across the... more »

• 1,200 homes under evacuation orders in LA County

  July 30, 2010 8:10 AM

  Firefighters plan an aggressive air attack at first light Friday against a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in northern Los Angeles County, chewing through more than 4,500 acres of dry brush, forcing thousands of evacuations and burning at least three structures. There is zero containment, authorities said. Three water-dropping... more »

• Mother Nature helping California firefighters

  July 29, 2010 8:43 AM

  Cooler temperatures and calmer winds are helping firefighters in their battle against the wildfire that's burned homes and forced hundreds of evacuations near California's Mojave Desert. The more than 1,400-acre blaze that chased residents from the Old West Ranch community about 10 miles south of Tehachapi was 25 percent... more »

• California wildfire threatens entire town

  July 28, 2010 11:10 AM

  A wildfire that's destroyed at least 40 homes near the Mojave Desert is threatening an entire town and firefighters say they're worried that afternoon winds will kick up the flames. Kern County Fire Engineer Dustin Allegranza says crews worked through the night to burn out a firebreak ahead of... more »

• California wildfire destroys 30 homes

  July 28, 2010 8:10 AM

  Two wildfires that erupted and spread quickly in Southern California have destroyed dozens of homes and forced evacuations in remote areas of the state's Kern County. The most destructive of the fires was burning about 10 miles southeast of Tehachapi, a city located in a mountainous area between Bakersfield... more »

• Easing winds help crews fight Washington wildfire

  July 20, 2010 8:32 AM

  Light winds are helping firefighters gain ground on a wildfire that has burned nearly 10 square miles of dry grass and sagebrush in central Washington. Fire spokeswoman Christy Boisselle said Monday evening the fire is 35 percent contained. Fire officials earlier said the fire that started about 10... more »

• Crews near full containment on fire near Rangely

  July 12, 2010 8:15 AM

  Firefighters expect to fully contain a 340-acre fire near Rangely by Monday evening. No structures were immediately threatened. The fire was 70 percent contained as of midday Sunday. Fire officials say the blaze was reported by Friday and was started by lightning. It is burning in pinon,... more »

• Wildfire flares-up near Sand Dunes

  July 7, 2010 10:06 AM

  A wildfire that's been burning near the Great Sand Dunes National Park since last month flared up Tuesday when thunderstorms moved through the area. Called the Medano Fire, the blaze has now consumed more than 6,200 acres. More than 200 firefighters have made a line all the way around... more »

• Conference teaches group to become extraordinary firefighters

  June 10, 2010 9:09 PM

  Firefighters from all over the country continue training in Canon City this week, to better prepare for wildfires. The trainees are here for the "Colorado Wildland Fire and Incident Management Academy." Most of the training has been in the classroom, but on Thursday several groups went into the mountains for... more »

• 5 miles of wilderness charred, fire line grows

  May 26, 2010 8:34 AM

  A wildfire burning in southwest Colorado's San Miguel Canyon is about 25 percent contained. Fire information officer Chris Barth said helicopters hit hot spots while crews worked on the perimeter. He says crews have taken advantage of limited fire activity. The fire was burning on an estimated nearly... more »

• Cog Railway train safely off the Peak

  May 24, 2010 4:37 PM

  Colorado Springs is packed with out-of-town visitors as family and friends prepare for Wednesday's graduation at the Air Force Academy. Dozens of tourists got more excitement than they expected when their Cog Railway train was trapped on Pikes Peak for a time by a downed power line and grass fires.... more »

• Cog Railway train trapped on mountain

  May 24, 2010 3:56 PM

  A Cog Railway train is trapped on Pikes Peak by a grass fire and a downed power line just outside of Manitou Springs. The power line has fallen across the track sparking about a half-dozen fires in remote terrain. The train will not be allowed to return to the station... more »

• Wind spreads Colorado canyon blaze

  May 24, 2010 8:17 AM

  Firefighters say an intense canyon fire ripping through San Miguel County is spreading and getting more intense with the help of high winds blowing at up to 60 mph. The blaze is burning mostly on federal land, and has grown beyond 3,000 acres. About 150 firefighters were working the... more »

• Fire destroys boats at Virginia marina

  April 28, 2010 12:03 PM

  A large fire broke out at a Virginia marina early Wednesday morning. Firefighters battled the two-alarm blaze for hours before bringing it under control. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion shortly before the fire began. The fire destroyed three boats, but crews were able to move other boats and... more »

• Firefighters rescue dog from chair

  April 27, 2010 1:18 PM

  A fat old dog found himself in quite a predicatment last week when he got stuck in a chair. It took three suburban Chicago firefighters to rescue the small dog that became trapped inside a mechanized recliner chair . The dog was deep inside the chair and they had to... more »

• House fire in Wasson area

  March 27, 2010 3:13 PM

  Colorado Springs Fire Department is on scene at a house fire at the 2200 block of Lockhaven Drive. Firefighters were called just after 12:30 Saturday afternoon. CSFD tells News First 5 that it took only about 5 minutes to knock down the fire. 24 firefighters responded to the scene.... more »

• Bees swarm 2 Phoenix women out for evening walk

  March 19, 2010 11:36 AM

  Two women in Phoenix are in critical condition with hundreds of bee stings after a swarm attacked them while they were out for an evening walk. A witness told KTVK-TV she heard screaming Thursday evening and saw the women lying in the street covered in bees from head to... more »

• Dramatic rescue of huge horse caught on tape

  March 12, 2010 11:10 AM

  Firefighters have saved a horse who got stuck in the mud for more than 5 hours at a ranch in Hanover Friday. Sky, a 2,100 pound Suffolk Punch draft horse, was stuck up to its neck in mud formed by a thawing holding pond on the property. Chief... more »