SC Blaze Kills 9 Firefighters

Thousands attend SC ceremony for 9 killed in blaze

(NEWSER) - Thousands of firefighters from across the country gathered today for a memorial ceremony honoring their nine colleagues who died Monday battling a blaze in Charleston, SC. Their chief shared humorous stories about the men, adding a personal touch to a formal affair. A column of firetrucks snaked through the streets before the service, and bagpipes wailed inside the overflowing arena. More»

Devices could someday put out fires with electricity

(NEWSER) - A little piece of Hogwarts may someday be reality: firefighters could eventually replace their hoses with flame-snuffing wands, the Daily Mail reports. Scientists attached a 600-watt electrical amplifier to a wand that blasted a foot-high fire with electricity, and the flames were extinguished almost immediately, they announced at a conference this weekend. Even a weaker current would have an effect, said one. More»

Fire rips through building with 70 apartments

(NEWSER) - A five-alarm fire ripped through a Brooklyn apartment building last night, leaving one resident dead, 100 homeless, and injuring more than 20 firefighters as some 200 of them battled the blaze in high winds, reports the New York Post. The fire broke out just before 7pm, but wasn't brought under control until early this morning. The building had about 70 apartments. One man said he helped a neighbor and his toddler escape through a window: "The guy came through the window . . . he had nothing. I gave him shoes, a coat, and a sweater." More»

Charleston, Santa Fe, New York, and Chicago round out top 5

(NEWSER) - San Francisco has topped this year’s Conde Nast Traveler list of American cities to visit. The city by the bay edged out Charleston , SC , at No. 2. Metropolises New York and Chicago made a strong showing as well, at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. The list is based on a survey of 25,000 readers, notes the San Jose Mercury News . For all of the Americas, Vancouver , BC , nabbed the coveted top spot. For more of the list, including recommended hotels and travel tips, click the link to the right. More»

(NEWSER) - The wife of South Carolina's philandering governor is moving out and taking the kids, the State reports. “I have decided to move back to our home in Charleston with our sons for the upcoming school year,” Mark Sanford's wife, Jenny, said in a statement released today. The governor released a statement that reads in part: "I stand by this family decision." The Sanfords have four sons. More»