fires News

After Riots, Authorities Regain Control of Texas Prison

Officers have regained control of a South Texas prison where inmates had set fires and caused significant damage after taking over part of the facility, according to the private contractor operating the prison. About 300 of the 2,800 inmates were …

Torrential Rains Bring Floods, Fires to Indiana

Residents in central and northern Indiana battled fire and water after torrential rains overnight caused widespread flooding on Aug. 22. Firefighters in northeastern Indiana were cut off from a blaze at an auto repair shop by three to five feet …

N.Y. Man to Be Freed in Discredited Arson-Science Case

A New York City man who has spent 24 years in prison for setting a fire that killed his daughter will be released from custody while prosecutors decide whether to retry him. U.S. District Judge William Nealon on Tuesday granted …

Judge: Flawed Science Led to Murder-by-Arson Conviction in Pennsylvania Case

The arsonist who killed Ji Yun Lee was especially cruel and calculating, dousing her small cabin in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains with more than 60 gallons (230 liters) of gasoline and heating fuel and setting at least eight fires, ending at …

Oklahoma Town Fears Fires Costing City Its History

Seminole, Okla., has suffered through eight fires in three years, causing some to fear that the community is losing its history. Since 2010, the town has lost its old Booker T. Washington School, the school’s gymnasium and the historic Grisso …

Surge in New York City Fires After Superstorm Sandy

The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) responded to about 37 percent more fires last month.Officials blame the spike on the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

Aon Benfield May Cat Report Highlights Italian Quakes; $6 Billion Econ. Loss

Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon plc, has released its latest edition of its Global Catastrophe Recap report, which reviews the natural disaster perils that occurred worldwide during the month of May. Published by Impact …

PG&E, Subcontractors Agree To Settlement In Fires

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and two of its subcontractors have agreed to pay $29.5 million to settle lawsuits over fires in national forests in Trinity County and El Dorado County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento confirmed the settlement …

November Storms in Southern Alberta Caused $195 Million Insured Loss

Windstorms that hit southern Alberta in November have caused at least C$200 million [US$195] in insured damage, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. However, the estimate is preliminary, based on data from Property Claim Services Canada (PCS-Canada), a service …

Insurers Worry 2012 Will Top 2011 for Record Weather Disasters

From floods that crippled countries, to mega cyclones, huge blizzards, killer tornadoes to famine-inducing droughts, 2011 has been another record-breaker for bad weather. While it is too early to predict what 2012 will be like, insurers and weather prediction agencies …