Don "Mr. Warmth" Rickles Dead at Age 90

Don died early Thursday of kidney failure at his home in Los Angeles- according to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Rest in Peace and shalom Don....

Possible Tornado Strikes Goodman MO

A possible tornado struck the small southwestern Missouri town of Goodman late in the 6-o'clock hour Tuesday evening.

Goodman- in northern McDonald county along I-49- is about 25 miles south-southeast of Joplin.


Among structures damaged in the town of about 1250 people was the town's main fire station and nearby elementary school.

Google street view of Goodman fire station in better days.

Google street view of back of elementary school before tornado.

Same view as above from slightly right and back angle- after the tornado.

Some houses and an apartment building were also damaged.

Only one minor" injury was reported.


There were other reports of wind damage to the northeast near Monett- but no injuries mentioned.

Wednesday morning- the NWS in Springfield MO declared this "an EF-2 tornado" with a path length of "3 miles.".

Tornado Watch No. 99 Includes Portions of Metro Kansas City

The tornado watch is in effect until 11 pm and includes those parts of Metro Kansas City south of the Missouri and Kansas rivers.

The watch also includes much of eastern and southeastern Kansas as well as western and southwestern Missouri.

Thunderstorms are developing in eastern Kansas and are beginning to become severe around Topeka.

Please keep tuned to NOAA weather radio or commercial radio and TV for the lastest weather developments....

BREAKING: Three Storm Chasers Killed in West Texas Crash

Other than this Tweet from chaser Jeff Piotrowski there are yet no other details other than the 3 chasers were killed in a traffic crash at the intersection of Farm to Market (FM-) roads 2794 and 1081 west of Spur TX late Tuesday afternoon....

There is preliminary information identifying two of the chasers- but I will not post that here until it's 1) been confirmed and 2) their family and friends have been notified.

As of 8:30 pm CDT- the identity of the 3 chasers killed has been confirmed...

BREAKING: 3-Alarm Apartment Fire in South Kansas City MO

The fire is in the Coach House apartment complex west of Holmes on East 115th Street in the Red Bridge area of south KC-MO..

At 3:42 am CDT Tuesday morning- 5 fire companies were dispatched to an address in the 11500 block of Holmes.

It was reportedly a "carport on fire with several vehicles involved."

Pumper 28 enroute at 3:46 am sees "fire from 4 blocks away" and requests "a working fire response."

Another truck company and EMS unit among those sent.

Arriving at 3:48 am- Pumper 28 says the "carport fully-involved and the side of (an apartment) building."


Battalion chief 107 requests and receives a 2nd-alarm response of 3 more pumpers- a truck and EMS among those responding.


Fire is working as of 4:10 am with no reports of injuries so far.


At 4:13 am- a 3rd-alarm of 4 additional pumper companies and an EMS unit are dispatched to this fire.




As of 4:40 am- virtually an hour after the first fire dept. dispatch- the more than a dozen companies are fighting to contain the fire to just one building in this complex.

As of 5 am- the 3rd-alarm companies were being released from their staging area as the fire was virtually under control.



No reports of injuries as of 5:08 am- and at least 6 apartment units have been damaged by this fire.

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Major- Historic Fire in Overland Park KS

It's at an apartment complex under construction on the southwest of the interchange of College Boulevard and U.S. 69 near Corporate Woods and one of the 4-story buildings under construction became totally involved in flames.

The complex is known at "The Royale at CityPlace Center."

The fire was reported about 3:30 pm and quickly grew to 2-alarms..

Within 30 minutes- the response had grown to at least 5-alarms with virtually every fire department in Johnson county KS sending equipment and crews.

As of 5:30 pm- this has gone to "an 8-alarm-plus" fire.

Fire crews from both Kansas Citys and as far away as Lawrence KS were called to the fire scene or asked to fill the many empty fire stations in Johnson county.


This has beeen the largest Metro KC fire since the West Bottoms blaze of 1998 and the largest fire in Overland Park's history.

Nearby homes were also ignited.

As of 4:45 pm- at least 12 homes to the south of the complex have been or are currently involved in flames from radiated heat and blowing embers.

Late Monday evening- Overland Park Fire spokespeople stated that "17 homes were damaged" with at least 3 of those homes considered a total loss.

Tuesday morning- that figure had increased to "22 homes" damaged- with 5 of those homes heavily-damaged or destroyed.

This is in addition to the 2 apartment buildings destroyed along with several smaller buildings in the complex.

SMOKE PLUME VISIBLE ON NWS RADAR FROM PLEASANT HILL MO

As of 6:30 pm- nearly 3 hours after this fire was first reported- aerial TV shots show most of the homes that caught fire have been extinguished or nearly so.

Also- only one minor firefighter injury reported thus far- no other injuries have been reported.




Late Monday- fire commanders said "3 firefighters have been transported (to medical facilities) in fair condition."

No civilian injuries were reported and at least a half-dozen fire crews were still on-scene dealing with the fire in the 2nd-building in the complex.



Late Tuesday- more than 27 hours after the initial fire call- an OPFD spokesperson stated "25 homes" were in some way damaged in the fire- with "5" homes uninhabitable.

Those firefighters injured had been released and all hot spot extinguished.

The cause has been linked to a construction welder's spark that ignited a wooden wall.

Damage figures will probably total in the tens of millions of dollars.

BREAKING: Pedestrian in Wheelchair Dead in South Kansas City MO

KC-MO Metro Zone police report "a DOA" at 63rd Street and Prospect.


The fatality is at the scene of a person in a wheelchair being struck and dragged for a short distance by a KC-MO Water Dept. dump truck.

Police have closed that intersection to traffic while they conduct an investigation.

BREAKING: Shooting in South Kansas City MO

KC-MO  Metro Zone division offers are investigating a shooting that seriously-injured a male.


The call came in around 10:20 pm to an address in the 8600 block of Chestnut Circle.


The incident could have been the result of a vehicle crash that happened elsewhere and the victim drove himself to the Chestnut Circle location.

The victim was described by the transporting KC-MO Fire EMS unit as "a 27-year-old male" with 2 gunshot wounds: one to his back and another to a thigh.

The man's condition was serious- but not immediately life-threatening.


Only suspect info was that of "a black male wearing a blue hoodie."


PD continues to block off that area in the apartment complex.

BREAKING: Another Vacant House Burns in Old Northeast Kansas City MO

Early this morning- a house on 7th Street and Fuller was destroyed by a suspected arson fire- this time a suspicious fire ignites a vacant 2-story house near Indiana on 7th St....


The initial alarm for 5 KC-MO fire companies was sounded at 9:45 pm on a reported "house fire- Independence Avenue and Benton."

Units began arriving 2-1/2-minutes later finding smoke at that location- but the actual fire was a couple of blocks southeast- in the 3200 block of East 7th St..


The structure was "fully-involved" in fire- so hoselines and master streams were directed on the fire from outside.

No injuries heard as of 10:57 pm with the fire declared "under control."

BREAKING: House Fire in Near East Side Kansas City MO

Seven Kansas City MO fire companies battled a fire in a large house early Wednesday morning.


The  call was dispatched at 1:44 am to "9th Street and Fuller" in the Sheffield area of the East Side.

Pumper 24- responding from a nearby outbuilding fire that had just been extinguished- arrived at 1:47 am to report "fire showing from a 2-story vacant house."


A "working fire response" was dispatched- sending more crews to the scene.


Fire crews took "a defensive (outside)" stance on the firefight.


As of 2:04 am- Battalion chief 104 (BC-104) reported 3 handlines and a master stream being used on the fire- with "a partial collapse of the roof."

A collapse zone for the safety of firefighters had been established at least 7 minutes prior.

As of 2:20 am- the firefight continues in mid-20 degree temperatures with a light east wind.

At 2:22 am- an arson investigator as well as "dangerous buildings" inspector from the city was requested by BC-104 to the scene.


More than a hour after the initial alarm for this fire was dispatched- it has not yet been declared under control.


No injuries have been reported as of 2:53 am..

BREAKING: Working Fire in Building South of Downtown Kansas City

The alarm came in at 8:56 pm for a reported "fire in a vacant building at 20th" Street "and Main." 


The first of 6 fire companies rolled-in about 4 minutes later to find "a fire in one- possibly 2 units on the 2nd-floor of a 5-story building."

At least one handline is being used with the fire being reported "under control" at 9:07 pm.


Streetcar operations are suspended until the FD clears this scene.