“It’s been a very tumultuous four days, believe me,” said Champaign Fire Chief Gary Ludwig. “We’ve had four working fires, two of which have been two-alarm fires.

The first was at an apartment complex Wednesday evening, and it’s been seemingly non-stop since then. Overall, 17 residents were displaced from their homes, one firefighter suffered minor injuries, and one person was taken to the hospital. But despite all the physical damage left behind, lives were saved in the process.

“Within the last 24 hours we’ve actually made two rescues of two different people from two different fires,” said Ludwig.

“It can easily go the other way,” said Champaign firefighter, Andy Monts. “And all too often it does go the other way. So when you get some of these where you are able to make a positive difference, it feels good.”

The fires that occurred Wednesday at 402 Briar Lane and Thursday at 1502 Maplecrest Drive have been ruled accidental. Meanwhile, the other two that happened early Saturday on Mattis Avenue and Sunday at an apartment complex on Karen Court remain under investigation. Ludwig says the time of year could provide some explanation for the recent surge.

“The colder it gets there’s more people using different types of heating sources,” said Ludwig. “As a result of that usually you have more fires.”

But the cold also makes it harder for those trying to put out the flames.

“Moving hose lines, and couplings, and things freeze up,” said Monts. “So it just takes a little more attention to do the job and do it well.”

And with four fires in four days with no lives lost, these firefighters can hang up their coats after a job well done.

Boise firefighters rescued an unconscious woman from inside a bedroom in a burning duplex early Monday.

The two-alarm fire at a residence in the 4500 block of Collister Street was reported at 12:46 a.m. Crews from the department’s Collister and Glenwood stations responded to the initial alarms, with other crews also assisting.

Firefighters arrived to find the front of one of the units engulfed in flames, Battalion Chief Steve Rasulo said. Two of the three residents got themselves out, while firefighters entered through a bedroom window to rescue the woman.

The three residents, all adults, were taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center for treatment. No details were available Monday morning on their conditions.

The second duplex unit sustained only minor smoke damage, Rasulo said. Neither of the two people who lived there were injured, he said.

The attack crews remained on the scene until about 3:30 a.m. Other firefighters remained through the night to prevent flareups.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, Rasulo said. Investigators returned after daybreak Monday to search for clues.

MARIETTA, Ga. – Dozens of residents of the Bentley Ridge Condos in Marietta are without a home, after fire tore through one of the units early Friday morning.

As firefighters began to battle the blaze they heard a call for help. A woman stuck on the second floor of the building in need of rescue.

A rookie firefighter climbed a ladder and brought the woman down safely. She was one of two people transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Investigators say the cause of the fire is suspicious and they have taken a man who lived in the unit where flames started into custody.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/28165406/rookie-firefighter-helps-rescue-woman-from-burning-condo

A woman and two young children were rescued from their burning home in south Windsor early Tuesday morning.

Kayla Vaillancourt, 22, and her two children, a three-year-old girl and two-year-old boy were rescued from a bedroom in the back of their mobile home on Marlin Court.

The two children were treated at hospital and have since been released. Their mother, who is studying to be a personal support worker, is listed in stable condition.

Three firefighters were also injured while putting out the fire, including two who slipped and fell on ice.

The Red Cross is providing clothing for the children who are temporarily staying with their father.

Investigators, including one from the Office of the Fire Marshal, are on scene. No cause has been determined.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Neighbors stepped up to help firefighters and police officers who responded to an apartment fire in Middle Tennessee where several people were trapped in second-floor units.

The Leaf Chronicle (http://leafne.ws/1DA8Yty) reports one couple caught two children and a woman who jumped to get away from the flames. Firefighters rescued others from the building in Clarksville.

Clarksville Fire Marshal Ray Williams says due to the quick response from everyone there were only three minor injuries reported.

Williams said investigators think the fire began in a ground floor apartment kitchen.

In all, 18 people were displaced by the blaze.

NEVADA, Iowa —Firefighters from Nevada and Colo fought a fire at an apartment building in Nevada Thursday.

The fire was reported at 919 6th Street about 9:51 a.m., which is near the Story County Administrative Building.

“It was full of smoke, a lot of smoke and there was one man in his living room area and they had to pull him out,” said Richardo Martinez.

A  man was rescued from the building. He was flown to a Des Moines hospital, but authorities said his injuries are believed non-life threatening.

He was later identified as Greg Krambeck, 53.

Firefighters report extensive damage in the apartment and smoke damage throughout entire first floor of the building.

Gwen Mosher has lived in the building for two year and was at work when she heard about the fire.  The Red Cross is helping those displaced by the fire.

Crews fought the fire as temperatures hover near and just below zero.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.