A Port Protection man is feared dead following a fire on Wednesday that destroyed his home on Prince of Wales Island. State troopers said Friday that rough weather has delayed their investigation into the fire that consumed the home of Gary Muehlberger. They have not confirmed his death or released details of the fire. Muehlberger was featured as a cast member of the National Geographic reality TV show "Life Below Zero: Port Protection," which chronicles daily life for residents of the remote Southeast Alaska community of around 60 people. The season finale of the show aired the day before Wednesday's fire.  

PHOTOS: Firefighters from multiple East Texas fire departments battled a house fire in the Long Cove subdivision in Malakoff early Sunday morning. According to a post on the Payne Springs Fire Rescue Facebook page, firefighters with PSFR were asked to provide mutual aid for a structure fire in the Long Cove subdivision at about 1:54 a.m. Sunday. The Malakoff Volunteer Fire Department chief arrived on the scene first, and PSFR's chief and Engine 1 got there a short time later. They found that the fire had already been burning in the home's void and attic spaces for some time, the Facebook post stated. Firefighters used multiple fire hoses to put the fire out. "This fire was a challenge due to building construction, setback, and a lack of water supply," the Facebook post stated. "Multiple fire departments were requested due to these challenges." The Payne Springs Fire Rescue chief was in command at the scene, and that fire department responded with three engines and a tanker.  

Every year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Christ the King High School in Middle Village played host to a commemoration of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in Manhattan — one of the worst tragedies to hit New York City in the 20th century. The longtime chairman of Christ the King's board of directors, former state Senator Serphin Maltese, along with his brothers Vincent and Andrew, organized the annual memorial service. The Maltese brothers lost three members in the tragic blaze — Caterina, their grandmother, and Rosaria and Lucia, two aunts. "We're hopeful that this is a rejuvenation of their memory. If we honor their memory, we'll ensure that nothing like that ever happens again," Serphin Maltese said during the 2011 ceremony that marked the centennial anniversary of the horrific blaze. The tragedy occurred on March 25, 1911, 110 years ago this month.  

The Peoria Fire-Medical Department, the Peoria City Council and Human Resources Director Christine Nickel are piloting a cancer screening program for line-of-duty firefighters. The program would allow all firefighters to receive an initial screening to determine their risk level. Based on the risk factors, the firefighters with the highest risk would be included into the program as a participant and the screenings would begin. The data from the screenings and treatments will be collected and reported to the council to ensure efficacy of the program. "For a long time, firefighters have always known that they are going to have a shorter lifespan than other professions," Mayor Cathy Carlat said. "If it doesn't have to be that way, then we certainly want to do everything that we can so that it isn't that way." Cancer is the leading cause of death for line-of-duty firefighters. The program is designed to take a preventative approach. "(The department) has been focused on mitigating the risks through early detection and treatment," Nickel said.  

With the arrival of spring and after an exhausting year of COVID-19 restrictions, Americans are eager to return to some sense of normalcy. However, many health experts are urging patience, warning a possible fourth surge may be on the horizon, with over a dozen states exhibiting early signs of increasing case numbers. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, raised the alarm this week, expressing his concern that we may be reopening faster than we should. "There were times when we thought things were getting under control and then it exploded again," Fauci said. "So although we are going in the right direction, we've got to keep our foot on the pedal with regard to public health measures." Over the last week, more than a dozen states have seen increases in their daily case averages. Parts of the upper Midwest have been exhibiting particularly concerning trends, including in Michigan, where cases have been on the rise since late February.  

VIDEO: The Navarre Beach Fire Department is asking for help on a special project. The dept. wants to build a motorized scooter for a Navarre 11-year-old to help him move across the sand on the beach. Christian has Kabuki syndrome and going to the beach is one of his favorite things to do. He loves the beach so much, Fire Chief Danny Furiegh tells Channel 3 News his family relocated to the area so he could be closer. That's when Fureigh says he knew his department had to come up with some way to make his trips to and from the beach easier. "Some people love the beach but Christian truly to his soul loves the beach so I just felt there are enough tech-savvy people in our community that can make this happen for them," said Fureigh. "We really need help from the community for actually coming up with a way to build a cart that can either be hinged or pinned that can fold and go into a trunk. Fureigh says they have the wheels and the motor; they're now just looking for the right design. &n bsp;