A tribute took place Tuesday morning for two Chicago firefighters who died in the line of duty. Edward Stringer and Corey Ankim got trapped in a building while fighting a 311 alarm fire 10 years ago. It was in a vacant dry-cleaning property on East 75th St. At least 15 people went to the hospital after the roof collapsed. Family members of Stringer and Ankum were at the tribute for a ceremonial bell ringing to mark the 10th anniversary of their deaths.  

Crews responded to a large fire in downtown Pana Tuesday morning. Plumes of smoke could be seen across the downtown area Tuesday morning. 3 buildings are a complete loss. The fire broke out in a building on 132 E. Second Street. Pana Fire Department responded at 10:00 AM. The building that caught fire is two doors down from the Moose Lodge, the only operating business on the strip. The building was empty and not an active business. All the buildings on that strip were slated to be demolished in the future. The Moose Lodge will have water damage and minimal smoke damage, administrator Brad Downs said. They had one employee in that building at the time and he was alerted and vacated promptly.  

On Saturday, December 19, Greater Round Lake Firefighter Lt. Westley Biddenstadt received financial aid to support him in his battle with cancer. Lt. Biddenstadt received his gifting in front of family and fellow firefighters at Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District Station 2. Lake Villa Firefighters were also present, as Lt. Biddenstadt is part-time at Lake Villa Fire Department as well. "We used [the gifting] to show [our children] how people can help others when needed,"said Lt. Biddenstadt. By alleviating some of the financial limits and stressors incurred during a battle with cancer, Shield 23 Foundation hopes to offer the support that allows the firefighter with cancer to receive the highest level of care and comfort with their family by their side during their fight against their illness.  

VIDEO: A De Soto recycling plant was destroyed in a fire Tuesday night. A view from Sky5 around 6:30 p.m. showed massive flames at the Proud Veteran Resources and Recycling. Several fire trucks could be seen spraying water on the flames. By about 7:45 p.m., it appeared firefighters were able to extinguish most of the heavy flames. A photo taken by 5 On Your Side's Justina Coronel showed heavy damage to the building. Police closed off the streets around the plant. De Soto police posted on its Facebook page, asking people to avoid driving in the area. It is not yet clear what may have caused the fire. In a Facebook post Wednesday morning, the De Soto Fire Department said the building was "not able to be saved." The plant is located at 112 E. Clement St. near the city's Main Street. There are several businesses nearby, including a restaurant, a bar, and the historic Arlington Event Center, which was recently renovated.  

Everyone remembers the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but the blaze that left over 300 dead and thousands homeless was not the last disaster to scorch the city — not by a long shot. On Dec. 22, 1910, a fire broke out at the Morris and Co. meatpacking plant at the Union Stockyards, burning out of control despite the efforts of many heroic firefighters. During the fight, a wall collapsed on 21 men, killing all of them. The event began the single largest killing of firefighters in the line of duty until Sept. 11, 2001. The fire would rage until the following day. The Chicago Daily News' afternoon coverage on Dec. 22 showed a harrowing scene that offered no end in sight. That afternoon, a fire at Warehouse 6 "broke out afresh at 2:30 p.m. and another desperate rally on the part of the fighters of the flames was necessitated to keep it confined," the paper reported. Thick, black smoke billowed out from the warehouse, preventing responders from spraying the fire directly.  

New Orleans residents and visitors having emergencies can now talk to first responders by video when they call or text 911, thanks to a program city officials say will be a big help for people in crisis. The Orleans Parish Communications District, which handles the city's emergency dispatches and 911 calls, will also be able to better determine a person's location using upgraded software from its private partner, Carbyne, a call handling platform. The program, officials said during a press conference Tuesday, provides a more sophisticated path to help than traditional calls. Oftentimes during 911 calls, operators and dispatchers ask specifics that callers don't always know, such as exactly where they are, or in the case of health emergencies, the seriousness of their condition. But using location sharing or allowing video and pictures, the operators will be able to gather a lot of that information even if the caller doesn't know it.  

Steve Buscemi hosted a virtual fireside chat on Tuesday in support of Friends of Firefighters, which offers essential programs and services to help active and retired firefighters and their families support, prioritize and clearly communicate their physical and mental health needs during stressful times. The chat celebrated the work of firefighters amid the pandemic, and featured some of Buscemi's former co-stars and famous pals such as Judd Apatow, Julie Bowen, Dan Bulla, Tim Herlihy, Kevin James, Colin Quinn, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Jackie Sandler, Rob Schneider and Kenan Thompson. Nancy Carbone, executive director for Friends of Firefighters, shared at the top of the event how the organization was launched shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 to address the severe need for counseling for firefighters, active or retired.  

A certain fellow in a red coat has the City of Laurinburg Fire Department to thank after he was stuck in a chimney. Or, at least, that's what the department said. The department posted a video on Sunday to its Facebook page paying tribute to first responders, detailing a firefighter's version of the classic "The Night Before Christmas." "T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the town, the fire siren echoed, blaring its sound," the video states. The one minute, 58 second video goes on to detail firefighters jumping into boots to respond to a fire. Once there, they didn't find a fire, but instead found a mysterious stranger in the chimney, who declared, "These new style chimneys, they make them too small, for a fellow as I, not skinny at all."