Man pleads guilty to deaths of 36 people in warehouse fire

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The master tenant of a San Francisco Bay Area warehouse where 36 people perished when a fire ignited during a 2016 dance party pleaded guilty Friday to the deaths, avoiding a second trial after the first ended in a hung jury. Derick Almena, 50, pleaded guilty to 36 counts of...

2nd person dies after West Warwick house fire

WEST WARWICK, R.I. (AP) — A second person has died from injuries suffered in a fire in West Warwick earlier this month, police said. Steven Lima, 54, died Thursday night after being injured in a Jan. 6 fire at a home on the New London Turnpike, The Providence Journal reports. The fire also killed Lima's...

Ruling says lawsuit against MUD in Omaha fire can continue

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court is allowing a lawsuit to continue against an Omaha natural gas utility for a 2016 fire that destroyed part of the downtown Omaha’s Old Market. The ruling Friday affirms the finding of a lower court that rejected Metropolitan Utilities District’s...

Man charged in deaths of 36 people in 2016 San Francisco Bay Area warehouse fire pleads guilty, avoiding second trial

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Man charged in deaths of 36 people in 2016 San Francisco Bay Area warehouse fire pleads guilty, avoiding second trial.

Fire on Prudence Island destroys 3 homes

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (AP) — Three homes were destroyed and two others were damaged in a Thursday night fire on Prudence Island, fire officials said. Firefighters from Portsmouth and several nearby communities responded to the fire around 11 p.m., according to The Newport Daily News. When they arrived, the fire...

1 of 2 injured in West Virginia blaze has died

GALLIPOLIS FERRY, W.Va. (AP) — One of two people injured in a residential blaze in West Virginia has died, officials said. A woman who suffered severe burns in the fire Thursday morning later died from her injuries, Point Pleasant Fire Chief Jeremy Bryant told news outlets. A man injured in the blaze...

Police: 1 person dead in car fire in West Virginia

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — One person died Friday morning in a car fire at a West Virginia convenience store, police said. The car caught fire at a downtown Clarksburg Go Mart as the person was pumping gas, Police Chief Mark Kiddy told The Exponent Telegram. Firefighters and other emergency crews responded...

Massive fire at potato plant forces evacuations

WARDEN, Wash. (AP) — A massive fire at a potato plant in Warden brought fears of an exploding ammonia tank, forcing the evacuation of nearly a third of the town for several hours. The fire broke out at the Washington Potato Plant in eastern Washington around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in one of the dehydrators,...

5 killed in blaze at Indian producer of COVID-19 vaccine

PUNE, India (AP) — At least five people were killed in a fire that broke out Thursday at a building under construction at Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, officials said. The company said the blaze would not affect production of the COVID-19 vaccine. Murlidhar...

Sheriff: Woman upset over husband's absence kills kids, self

FAIRLEA, W.Va. (AP) — Five children found dead after a West Virginia house fire late last year were shot to death by their mother, who then took her own life, authorities said Thursday. Greenbrier County Sheriff Bruce Sloan revealed details of the shootings and fire last Dec. 8 at a news conference. He...