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ONE FIREFIGHTER HAS died and at least 11 others were injured following a housing explosion in the US state of Virginia.
The incident happened at a home in Sterling, Virginia, at around 7.40pm local time yesterday evening (00.40 am this morning Irish time).
The assistant chief of the local fire department James Williams told a press conference that the scene is one of “total devastation.”
He added: “”There’s a debris field well into the street and into the neighbouring homes.”
Williams said firefighters went to the home “for an investigation” but did not specify what was being investigated.
BREAKING: An explosion levels a home in Sterling, Virginia. Reports of several firefighters trapped inside. Multiple fire crews on scene.
— Shirin Rajaee (@ShirinRajaee) February 17, 2024
We’re working on gathering information on the extent of injuries, but the damage and response is massive. Turn to @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/dPOmrtfBRe
He said the explosion happened soon after their arrival and that the cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.
Nine firefighters and two civilians were taken to nearby hospitals, with injuries ranging from “severe” to “less severe”, according to Williams.
Footage broadcast on local television, as well as photos and video posted to social media, showed the smouldering ruins of the home, with wreckage strewn across much of the yard and into the street.
-With additional reporting from - © AFP 2024
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Looks like a scene from New Delhi.
@OConnelj: Probably a used vehicle export load to an African country – it’s where a lot of our old vehicles end up. Still, these vehicles should be loaded more safely than this while still in Ireland.
Using nylon straps to hold them vehicles down is not only reckless but also illegal
A right Langer load.
@Alan Foy: yes and a big fine
Surely tractors are not legally allowed to do this as I thought their insurance only covered them for moving agricultural equipment from field to field and within a certain milage.
@Ian James Burgess: nope they can drive length and breath of the country with a trailer hauling anything that fits in it at 16 years of age and with no experience.
@Ian James Burgess: it could be under commercial insurance.
@Ian James Burgess: no DOE test, no tacho on tractors and a 16 y/o can drive it.
I grew up on a farm years ago,the farmers with their tractors don’t realise whether it’s on a country lane or on a main road,they travel the same way,even to this day where I live,if your behind someone in a tractor or jeep,u always keep well back,because they do be looking in over the ditches seen what’s on other people’s land,they could stop all of a sudden,or swerve..
I also don’t see a single number plate on any of the trucks or the trailer…
@Bertie: You don’t need them with the red diesel, Boss.
With the trucks on the truck and the truck on the truck and the truck on the trailer and the trailer on the tractor and the tractor in the tunnel………..O – Ro the rattlin’ trucks
@John Costello: quality
Cyclists fault
Definition of muppet
A truck towing truck towing towing trucks
This is not an agricultural load, so the tractor must have commercial diesel, commercial tax, commercial insurance and be certified roadworthy. Same for the trailer including weight limits of 10ton per axel. Height limit is 4.65m as already mentioned and if the Garda is unhappy with the safety of the load, there can be prosecutions. Driver must have a full commercial licence and be over 18. Those are the rules. Most of the comments here are rubbish and disinformation.
@Liam Dunne: care to post a link to where you got that information?
@Liam Dunne: the reason I ask is because it’s none of what you mentioned in the rules of the road. It’s not on the rsa website. Look forward to seeing where you got it from. If you can’t provide it I’ll take it as BS
I grew up in Ennis,my Da was a rep for Guinness, when I was about 8 I remember a day on the road back to Ennis from Kilrush ,my Da slowed down to about 5 mph,there were trucks tractors and cars behind us, I gave em the finger out the back window
Can’t park there mate.
4.6 metres is a very generous height limit.
The tallest double deck buses are 4.4 metres
Max authorised height for HGV’s is 4 metres.
@Nomis Andrews: incorrect. The maximum legal height is 4.65m for trucks. And truck over that height can obtain a permit to travel
@John Webb: Yeah so if your truck is 4.65m (a legal height) then you can’t travel through the tunnel – lack of foresight
Old news ….. Cork Beo had this up this morning…..ye dubs really need to get the finger out
@Joe_X: We were too busy laughing and trying not to make culchie jokes about it. The tractor pulling all this in the City jumps tops the story off.
We were being nice and we get slagged for being nice.
Vehicle smuggling, langer style.
It’s like Inception…..a truck within a truck within a truck!
@Joe Kennedy: STUCK
If its on its gone.
A way to avoid using a tacho.
The vehicular equivalent of a turducken.
Congratulations on a fine headline, that must have been fun to compose!
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