3 Firefighters Dead in Washington State

More are injured battling wildfire
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 19, 2015 8:20 PM CDT
3 Firefighters Dead in Washington State
Smoke from an approaching wildfire looms over a home near Twisp, Wash., Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Tragedy in Washington state today as three firefighters were killed fighting a wildfire in the north-central part of the state, reports KING5. At least three more were injured, one of them critically. It's not clear what happened, but firefighters earlier were battling what KOMO describes as "strong, erratic winds" near the small towns of Twisp and Winthrop. "The bottom line is this is hell in here," said Okanogan Sheriff Frank Rodgers earlier in the day. "It's just obvious. The wind's blowing in every damn direction." Gov. Jay Inslee also confirmed the deaths, saying his heart breaks over the loss of life and that conditions remain extremely dangerous. (More Washington state stories.)

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