Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said fire crews arrived and located a two-story, older wood-frame home with heavy fire showing from the second-floor windows.

An occupant had noticed the fire and then began notifying the other occupants in the building before the fire department arrived.

Vucha said firefighters stretched multiple hose lines and made entry to the four-unit apartment building.

They encountered heavily cluttered conditions and a narrow staircase that limited access as they attempted to reach the fire in an upstairs apartment.

Lake & McHenry County Scanner

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When they arrived, crews encountered heavy fire conditions coming from the kitchen windows of the home.

Fire Engine 4 initiated an aggressive interior fire attack to contain and extinguish the fire while Truck 2 performed coordinated vertical ventilation.

This allowed the heat and smoke to escape while improving the interior conditions for firefighters on scene.

Other responding companies conducted primary and secondary searches of the house. All interior companies then conducted overhaul operations to locate hidden fire and uncover any remaining hotspots.

WCIA-TV CBS 3 Champaign

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“2026 is the second year that we are encouraging participants to integrate a patriotic or historical theme into their Paint-A-Plug project, and I am looking forward to seeing more of this creative and colorful art on display throughout the community.”

Some theme ideas Hoey says artists can use as inspiration include patriotism, independence, historic figures and achievements and celebrations of the nation’s rich cultural heritage.

America 250 DeKalb is a communitywide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. City leaders say public arts projects are the centerpiece of this initiative.

Last month, CCEC announced the 2026 utility box mural program will also highlight the commemoration, as well as a new Lincoln Highway mural and downtown lighting installation.

WIFR-TV CBS/CW+ 23 Rockford

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Upon arrival, Chief Schafroth said the southwest corner of the barn’s roof was showing large, visible flames.

“The wind blew the fire through the building like a blowtorch,” Chief Schafroth said.

He said the department put as much water on the fire as they could as fast as possible, but the wind was just too powerful.

One of the property owners on scene suffered minor burns, and Chief Schafroth said two horses died that he knows of, and that’s all he knows for sure from the animals that were inside the barn.

WCIA-TV CBS 3 Champaign

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“We handed out $2,500 to the Central Warren Fire Protection District for new radios and communication equipment. This is a program that was piloted two years ago, was super successful statewide. They doubled the budget last year and added another $100,000 for this year. This is a program that is going to be growing, it is going to be building.”

Armstrong encourages local school boards, fire protection districts, libraries, and other municipality boards to reach out and apply for future funds through this Rural Development Grant with the Illinois Farm Bureau.

WMOI-FM 97.7 Monmouth

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If approved, Sugar Grove would use the funds for a new building to train first responders with the fire district and those who go through Waubonsee Community College’s Fire Science Technology Program, according to a news release.

The training facility would have classrooms and specialized training areas to learn about auto extrication, aircraft rescue, water and ice rescue procedures, diver training, secure equipment storage and more.

In a public announcement Sept. 12, 2025, the Sugar Grove Fire Protection District said the facility was being built at 1660 Denny Road. The site also could be the home to a second fire station in the future, pending the growing needs of the department, according to the post.

The 14th District includes portions of DeKalb, Kane, Will and La Salle counties.

Shaw Local – Metered Site

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Authorities said the call reporting the fire came in at approximately 8:55 a.m. on April 27. Emergency crews from multiple agencies quickly responded to the scene, including the White County Sheriff’s Office, Crossville Fire Department, and Carmi Fire Department.

Officials reported that the fire originated after a lightning strike hit equipment at the site, igniting the tank battery. Crews worked to contain and manage the blaze.

No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident. Further details about the extent of the damage have not yet been released.

WSIL-TV ABC 3 Harrisburg

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When crews arrived, they encountered heavy smoke and fire and immediately began the work to put the fire out.

Mark Ames, Chief of the Westville Area Fire Protection District, said around 20 firefighters responded to the scene.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire, but it resulted in significant structural damage in the building.

While no people were injured in the fire, Ames said several pets died. The people living in the building have been displaced, but the Red Cross will be helping them out.

WCIA-TV CBS 3 Champaign

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Fire service wasn’t originally on his radar, but his desire for a dependable career sparked his interest.

“I was trying to focus on a career as a young man, and at the time, I was married and didn’t have any children, but I was looking for a longer-standing career, something that I could feel really good about doing,” he said.

The notion of becoming a firefighter crossed his mind, and he seized the opportunity at the Urbana firehouse in 1975. After two years, he moved into the Champaign service, where he spent half his career.

After a couple of years on the fire line, he applied for an opening in the Fire Prevention Bureau.

This is where his passion for fire safety and prevention came from.

In that role, Bain inspected buildings, ran classes and training exercises, and conducted fire and arson investigations.

“I thought fire prevention was pretty significant for me, because I had been to enough fires and accidents and tragedy in people’s lives that I thought it’s great to be able to respond and help people,” he said. “I thought it might be even more important for people so they don’t have to deal with those tragedies, especially fire.”

He retired from Champaign in 2001 but continued his drive for safety. Bain accepted a position at the Illinois Fire Service Institute as the director of fire prevention and oversaw curriculum development and ran classes, trained fire investigators, and taught firefighting courses at Parkland College.

He retired, once again, 14 years later, and his family moved to Savoy, and Bain couldn’t stay away from the fire-service world.

“I just went to Savoy Fire (Department) and offered to serve as a volunteer there, doing similar work that I had done helping with public education classes, doing public interviews for television, radio and newspaper, and also fire investigations.

The former News-Gazette reporter, Mary Schenk, who worked with Bain in her 43-year career, said he was “God’s gift to reporters.”

Schenk said he always went above and beyond when it came to making information known to the public and that he helped her “grow up” professionally alongside him.

There was rumored to be a gas leak on the east side of town. People smelled it and grew worried. Luckily, there was no cause for concern; someone had spilled methanethiol, also known as mercaptan, that made the whole side of town smell like an oil leak.

Bain quickly called the reporter and gave her the 411.

“He said, ‘Please let the citizens of Savoy know that this is not a gas leak and you’re not going to be exploding,’” she said. “He knew he could call me at home and that I’d take care of it — it’s the ultimate symbiotic relationship, if you will.”

Sam Smith, the Savoy fire chief, also shared an extensive history with Bain, having grown up down the street from him. He mentored and idolized the fire service to the young Smith, which made him pursue the career.

“Part of the reason that I got excited about fire service was seeing Eddie talk about the prevention side and investigation side of things,” he said. “Even as a little youngster, that always stuck in my head.

“He touched a bunch of lives when he taught the fire investigation program as (the Illinois Fire Service Institute’s) director for many years, and he helped shape the future of the firefighters community as a whole with his vast knowledge and huge experience,” he said.

This being his third — and final — retirement, many will miss the Bain-sized hole at the Savoy firehouse.

“He’s got huge shoes to fill, and we’ve got a couple of people that will do the job he used to do himself and take over his responsibilities,” Smith said. “It’s definitely a well-deserved and earned retirement, but he’ll definitely be sorely missed.”

In retirement, he will be able to make it to activities for his nine grandchildren, whether it be sports, music or other extracurriculars. Five of the nine are in Florida, so traveling is also in the cards for the Bain family.

He said it was always hard to measure his worth in the career, especially when visiting schools for grade-school students who had the attention span “about the length of a soap bubble.”

Those doubts cleared up when he got approached by adults he presented to years and years ago.

“Later on, I would see some of those young people, maybe in high school or even at the college level, that they would see me out on the street, and they’d remember me,” he said. “They’d tell me (they remembered when I visited) and brought the fire truck, and it was exciting to realize that at least I’d had a memorable impact on people and even adults.”

The News-Gazette – Metered Site

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Firefighters arrived and found smoke coming from the roof of the single-story home, Antioch Deputy Fire Chief Jim Cook said. Crews pulled hose lines and began attacking the fire.

The area does not have fire hydrants, so firefighters began establishing water tender operations.

“All of our tankers were here, so we didn’t have any water supply problems. Hose lines were deployed quickly, and the house was easy to get into,” Cook said.

About 30 minutes after firefighters first arrived, a box alarm was requested through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, which brought in resources and additional manpower from fire departments in Lake and Kenosha counties.

Lake & McHenry County Scanner

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State and local leaders acknowledged the Paris Fire Department on Friday for their work utilizing this law.

Tahj McDaniel is the Vice President of the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation in Illinois. He said that once the baby is dropped off at an organization, DHS is contacted and the baby will be adopted by a family.

“The Safe Haven law is a great alternative for people who find themselves in a crisis situation with an infant that they simply don’t feel that they can take care of”, McDaniel said. “We don’t speculate on how or why that may come about. Anybody that feels that they need to use the Safe Haven Law can use the Safe Haven Law in the state of Illinois.”

McDaniel added that the organization is proud to say that the majority of children who are put into this system never see foster care.

WTWO-TV NBC 2 Terre Haute

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The facility, located just off Eiche Avenue, replaces the original smaller center and will be made available not only to the Effingham Fire Department but to area fire departments. Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum said that will be beneficial since fire companies often fight fires together, so can train together.

Yochum credited many people for their help with the facility, including Mayor Mike Schutzbach and the City Council for budgeting for the project. He mentioned two members of the fire department, Jason Lee and Matt Carpenter, for their help in designing the center, and recognized Director of Public Works Jeremy Heuerman and public works staffers for their flexibility in helping get materials to the site to facilitate construction.

The building will quickly be put to use, with Yochum saying that training is scheduled for Monday.

The Effingham department is also working toward delivery of a new ladder truck. Yochum said the equipment and training are keys to Effingham earning an ISO rating of 2, meaning lower insurance rates for Effingham.

WXEF-FM 97.9 Effingham

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