One woman aboard the US Airways flight that came crashing down during an aborted liftoff Thursday evening decided to capture as many moments of the frightening ordeal as possible.

Taking to Twitter and Instagram, passenger Hannah Udren posted a frantic video of herself running away from the smoky plane during the evacuation at Philadelphia International Airport. She also posted several photos, including a "selfie," which shows emergency vehicles and the aircraft, nose-down just yards away behind her.

Udren was one of 149 passengers aboard Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-bound US Airways Flight 1702's scheduled departure at 6:25 p.m. on Thursday. 

According to airport officials, the front wheel of the aircraft blew out, causing the front of the plane to crash into the runway.

NBC10 spoke to Udren at Philly International, shortly after the evacuation. She said she just wanted to capture the moment.

“I wanted to show my parents everyone running, and like just what was going on," Udren said.

"Like I’m far enough away, I was one of the first people out of the plane. So, I just took my phone out and I was like OK, I’ll take a video.”

Since the incident, Udren’s video and photos of the crash landing have been a hot topic on social media.

As of Friday morning, Udren’s "plane crash selfie" had been retweeted nearly 4,000 times and favorited nearly 3,000 times. But comments and replies to the posts revealed mixed reactions among the public.

Some replied to the posts offering well wishes.

@han_horan We're glad you're ok.

— Wise Latinas Linked (@wiselatinaslink) March 14, 2014

Others questioned Udren’s decision to take and post the images even while the incident was still unfolding.

It's come to this. First thing you do when you survive a plane crash?? #selfie “@han_horan: so yup pic.twitter.com/emMfvkDVGN”

— James Kiernan (@JamesKiernan) March 14, 2014

Otheres came to her defense:

Oh shut up you guys we'd all do this RT @han_horan so yup pic.twitter.com/9ijk5jg6M7

— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) March 13, 2014

While Udren has received a lot of attention for her photo, she is not the first person to take a selfie during an aircraft emergency.

In January, a professor at Georgetown University tweeted photos during an emergency landing. The professor, Shashi Bellamkonda, tweeted multiple photos while he was still aboard the flight, wearing an oxygen mask, and after the flight made a safe landing at an airport in Wilmington, Del.

An 18-month-old San Diego boy dubbed “Miracle Baby” by loved ones is now being cared for by family members, one day after he survived a deadly, high-speed rollover crash that claimed his mother’s life.

With only a few scratches on his head after the vehicle he was in plunged 150 feet down an embankment, baby Riley was home with uncle Jonny Dewitt on Thursday, as well as his aunt and grandmother. The boy was waddling around and appeared healthy.

The family calls the boy “Miracle Baby” after he survived a crash along Interstate 8 in Alpine, near Tavern Road. His mother, identified by family members as Lindsey Michelle Woods, 21, was driving a Jeep Cherokee at approximately 70 mph when she lost control of the vehicle and swerved off the freeway, California Highway Patrol officials said.

Woods died at the scene from obvious fatal trauma, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported.

Riley and a male passenger described by Woods’ family as an "acquaintance" survived the crash. The man sustained life-threatening injuries and was hospitalized.

Riley was unharmed, except for a few scrapes, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

The CHP said Riley was secured in a safety car seat in the middle of the backseat at the time of the rollover crash.

The tot's family credits the car seat for saving Riley’s life. They want others to use his sister's story as a reminder to always secure children into their car seats.

“If you really love your kid, buckle him in,” he said. "Lives can be spared."

DeWitt said his sister was a great mother to Riley. Having Riley completely “turned her life around,” he said,

"She started doing everything right [after Riley was born.] She was my baby sister," DeWitt told NBC 7. "She was struggling [to raise him] on her own, and making the best life for her kid. She read to him, gave him a bath every night and made sure he was in a warm house every night."

Woods’ best friend, Jessica Bauman, said Woods was an incredible person who worked hard to provide for her young son.

“She was the most caring, beautiful, loving, smart person in the world. She was an amazing mother, best friend, sister, daughter – everything. She didn’t deserve this,” said Bauman. "I really miss her."

She said Riley’s survival is nothing short of a miracle, and the boy will serve as a constant reminder of her late friend.

“At least we get part of Lindsey, at all times. We get to help raise him and be there for him,” she said.

The fatal accident remains under investigation, but CHP officials said speed was a major factor.

DeWitt visited the site of the crash Thursday and couldn't believe his nephew lived through the horrific accident in such rugged terrain.

“I didn’t realize how severe it was until I got here. I would definitely say I am in complete disbelief and there’s only one reason, and that is that God has a plan for [Riley’s] life and I’m going to raise him to be that way – to look to God – because there is a reason why he was spared,” said DeWitt.

Following the crash, Woods, Riley and the other passenger became stuck inside the wreckage. Good Samaritans ran to help the surviving victims. About a half hour later, the man and Riley were safely extricated from the vehicle.

"The baby was calm. The baby was healthy," witness Terry Ulmer said. "The baby seemed intact and pretty responsive."

Though Ulmer said he was able to tell the man that the baby boy was okay, he regrets not being able to talk with the child’s mother before she passed to tell her the baby was unscathed.

Five people, including a child, were injured in a crash at Broad and West streets in Seymour.

A truck coming down the hill crossed the line and hit two other vehicles around 2 p.m., authorities said.

People from two vehicles had to be extricated, but everyone is expected to be OK, officials said.

Interstate 84 West in Hartford is congested after a crash between exits 48 and 47.

A car overturned, according to an alert from the State Department of Transportation, and traffic is backed up for a mile and a half.

The crash was reported just before 2 p.m. and the two right lanes are closed.

State police said a wrecker is on the way to the scene.
 

Major backup on I 84 in both directions near exit 47 in Hartford. Rollover ax. #firstalertct pic.twitter.com/A2hi7Vh9WG

— Stephanie O'Connell (@SOConnell13) March 14, 2014

A tiny, two-day-old gorilla born by emergency C-section at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was taken to the park’s veterinary hospital Friday morning to undergo treatment for a collapsed lung after experiencing increased respiratory distress.

Vets had been monitoring the baby gorilla around-the-clock since her birth and noticed she was experiencing increased respiratory distress. The baby animal’s heart rate became elevated and she was breathing very rapidly. After conducting a chest X-ray, veterinarians confirmed that the baby gorilla had a collapsed lung.

So, on Friday morning, a team of vets and animal care specialists gathered to perform the procedure. They were also joined by a neonatal specialist and anesthesiologist from the University of California, San Diego Health System.

The tiny gorilla was carefully intubated and specialists suctioned out a mucus plug that was in her right lung. Park officials believe it likely aspirated at the time of the baby gorilla’s complicated delivery. Following the procedure, the medical team re-inflated the critter’s lung.

After monitoring the baby animal, specialists concluded that both lungs were fully inflated and called the procedure a success.

Once she awoke from the anesthesia, her breathing tube was removed and she was placed on a nasal cannula with oxygen for continued respiratory support.

Park officials say the baby gorilla will continue to receive 24-7 monitoring.

She remains in intensive care and, for now, specialists say she’s making progress and is beginning to breathe on her own but is still receiving oxygen and fluids as needed. Specialists say the baby gorilla has a very strong grip already, using both her hands and feet to reach out.

Now, C-sections are fairly common in human births, but it's rare to hear about them in the animal kingdom.

That's why San Diego Zoo Safari Park officials are touting the birth of this new baby gorilla, courtesy of an emergency C-section.

According to park officials, the baby’s mother, 18-year-old gorilla Imani, went into labor Wednesday morning.

However, by that evening, she showed no signs of progress, so veterinary staff took her to the Safari Park veterinary hospital for emergency surgery.

"In retrospect the C-section was the right decision," said the park’s Associate Director of Veterinary Services Nadine Lamberski in a release. "We think the health of the fetus would have been compromised if we delayed the surgery any longer.”

The operation was done by a San Diego Zoo Global team and outside consultants, including a veterinary surgeon and human neonatal specialist from UC San Diego Medical Center.

The 4.6-pound female baby -- which has not been named -- showed complications that veterinarians believe is related to a difficult labor, zoo officials say. This included her collapsed lung on Friday.

Meanwhile, the baby’s mother is recovering from surgery in the gorilla habitat, eating and doing well, officials confirmed. Keepers will continue to keep a close eye on her too.

This is Imani’s first baby – the 17th to be born at Safari Park, which now houses eight gorillas.

Two of the males were also born in San Diego: Monroe in 2011 and Frank in 2008.

Former Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts officially announced Friday he has formed an exploratory committee for a bid in New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race this year.

However, the Republican did not officially say he will run against the state's Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, NECN reported.

Brown blasted Obamacare Friday, and also talked about what his party needs to be doing to move forward.

Brown said he is looking forward to meeting people in New Hampshire as he starts traveling around the state starting Saturday.

"Obviously I have to do some listening and learning and find out from everybody what their concerns are and make sure I have a full understanding of the challenges, and then I'll make a further decision down the road," Brown told reporters after the speech.

There are already other Republicans in the U.S. Senate race, but analysts agree that Brown would immediately be the frontrunner if he officially ran against Shaheen.

Democrats in the Granite State have been preparing for months now for Brown's announcement.

Earlier Friday, Fox News cut its ties with Brown when he notified them of his intentions.

A car collided with a train in Mansfield on Friday afternoon.

State police responded to the train crossing at Plains Road just before 5 p.m.

The driver was the only one in the car.  He suffered minor injuries and was taken to Windham Hospital, police said.

The cargo train was carrying copper and grain and didn't appear to sustain any damage in the accident.

Dozens of wells in Stamford are contaminated with uranium, according to the Stamford Department of Health.

The city has received test results for 60 wells and determined that 42 of them tested positive for uranium. Of the wells that tested positive, 16 were at or above acceptable levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to Anne Fountain, Stamford's Director of Health & Social Services.

Stamford officials are now urging residents to sign up to have their wells tested.

“Exposure to uranium can have potentially harmful health effects and we are urging everyone to sign up and have their wells tested. The only way to know if you have uranium in your water is to have your water tested at a state certified testing laboratory,” Fountain said.

The city decided to do testing after learning other communities had discovered high levels of uranium and arsenic in wells, according to a news release. The release did not specify which other communities had wells that tested positive for contaminants.

Both uranium and arsenic are metals that occur naturally in bedrock in the ground.

Uranium toxicity can have long-term effects on kidney function, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

“It is important to point out the health risks [from arsenic and uranium] are usually long-term risks and chronic, and may not be noticed for years,” said state Epidemiologist Brian Toal.

Residents with wells that test positive for uranium at levels above the accepted norm are urged to stop drinking and cooking with the water until it can be treated. According to city health officials, residents can use a filtration system. A reverse osmosis system or an ion-exchange system are recommended by the officials.

Those who wish to sign up for testing should call 203-977-0816. The cost of the test is $100.

For more information on the tests, visit the Stamford well water resource site here or the Connecticut Department of Public Health here.

Police in Fairfield, Calif. have arrested a man who they say bit off his infant son’s nose because he was frustrated with his crying.

The Fairfield Police Department received a call Thursday at 8:04 a.m. from a frantic female who said that her child was bleeding from his nose.

When officers arrived at the apartment on the 1000 block of Alaska Avenue, they found a one-month-old child bleeding from the face, Fairfield police said.

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The infant’s 18-year-old father, 17-year-old mother and other family members were present, police said.

The infant was taken to North Bay Medical Center where doctors determined that the infant’s nose had been severed and he had possible head trauma.

The infant was then transferred to Oakland Children’s Hospital, where doctors determined that the infant had suffered a skull fracture and a brain hemorrhage and that one-third of the child’s nose had been severed. The child is currently in stable condition.

According to the criminal investigation, the infant’s father bit the child’s nose off out of frustration from his crying. Police are still investigating how the infant sustained the skull fracture and brain hemorrhage.

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Police arrested Joshua Cooper, an 18-year-old Fairfield resident, for child cruelty and aggravated mayhem. Cooper was booked into Solano County Jail.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the Fairfield Police Department's Major Crimes Unit at (707) 428-7600, the 24-hour Tip Line at (707) 428-7345 or Crime Stoppers at (707) 644-7867.

A pedestrian was rushed to the hospital after they were struck by a car in Ridgefield Friday night.

The incident happened around 10:00 p.m. in the area of 570 Ridgebury Road.

Ridgefield Police said they are investigating the incident. The driver stayed at the scene and is being interviewed by investigators.

Ridgebury Road is closed from Benson Road to Chestnut Hill Road.

The victim was transported to Danbury Hospital in unknown condition.

No other details of the accident were immediately available.

Crews have responded to a fire at the Pattaconk Yacht Club in Chester Friday night.

The Chester Fire Department is on scene at 61 Dock Road, dousing the flames.

Mutual aid from surrounding towns, including Killingworth and Deep River, have also responded.

It is unclear how much damage the fire may have caused.

There are no reports of injuries.

A sheet of ice smashed Amanda Hubbard’s car. As upset as she is, the Winsted, Conn. woman said she’s grateful because it could have been much worse.

On Wednesday morning, a huge sheet of ice came off the roof of the building that houses her apartment and landed right on the car she just finished paying off.

Hubbard heard the ice sliding from her roof. By the time she ran to her window, the damage was done -- the roof was crushed. The hood is badly dented, and the ice is still there.

"I kinda freaked out a little bit," she said. "I won't lie."

She’s only had the title since last week.

As Hubbard meets with insurance agents, she said she’s grateful because children live in her building and no one was hurt.

"This could have been my child. This could have been my handicapped sister. This could have been the two children that are upstairs," she said.

She’s also grateful that no one was in the car when the ice came crashing down.

Hubbard said she reached out to NBC Connecticut in the hopes that what happened to her does not happen to someone else.

By sharing her story, she hopes that landlords and homeowners will take precautions before it's too late.

Hubbard is by no means the only person something like this has happened to. There have been several cases of falling ice around the country.

Before the Super Bowl in 2011, a man was badly injured when ice and snow fell from the roof of Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Just last month, ice fell from a skyscraper in lower Manhattan, causing authorities to shut down a two-mile area. 

In December, also in Texas, heavy sheets of ice fell from roofs and smashed vehicles.

 

A RHAM Middle School teacher is in critical condition after being struck by a car outside the school this morning, according to authorities. 

Police and school officials identified the victim as Dawn Mallory-Bushor, 65, of Groton, a 7th grade math teacher at the middle school.

Hebron's town manager said a parent was dropping her children off at RHAM High School when she struck Mallory-Bushor.

Police identified the driver as a 50-year-old Hebron woman. The crash is under investigation and no charges have been filed.

The woman was leaving the parking lot and drove into the bus lane from the middle school, according to the town manager. When she realized she was in the bus lane, she abruptly backed up and hit Mallory-Bushor.

Police are questioning the driver and she is cooperating.

"We want to share with you about the accident that occurred this morning. During the morning drop off, Dawn Mallory was involved in an accident. She has been taken to the hospital for treatment. No one else was injured in this accident. We will share information about her recovery when available," a message of the school's Web site says.

It is too early to tell how fast the car was going, according to state police.

State police said Mallory-Bushor's injuries are life-threatening.

She has been a teacher for 31 years, according to a RHAM Middle School Web site.

A Plainville, Conn., couple could face criminal charges after authorities discovered nearly 200 diseased chickens packed into their home in what the Department of Agriculture called "one of the most extreme cases that you will see of this type of animal hoarding."

Authorities said the birds were cooped up in a house on North Washington Street. The animals were all infected with a highly contagious respiratory disease and were euthanized Friday.

“There was no threat to humans,” said Steven Jensen, of the state Department of Agriculture, “but the conditions in the house were so unsanitary that the house was quarantined and the homeowners were evicted.”

The homeowners, a husband and wife who are now staying with relatives, said raising chickens was their hobby. Authorities said the couple could be charged with animal neglect and abuse.

Although the house on North Washington Street has not been officially condemned, authorities expect it to be knocked down.

"The conditions inside the house were very unsanity," Jensen explained. "They were chickens living throughout the house, anywhere from chicks to mature in every room of the house.

There were no winners in Friday night's drawing for the $353 million Mega Millions jackpot.

The winning numbers were 7, 20, 40, 54 and 69, with a Mega Ball number 12.

The next drawing will be Tuesday, March 18 with an estimated jackpot of $400 million. 

That jackpot is the fifth largest jackpot prize in Mega Millions history, according to the lottery's website. The largest ever came in 2012, when three winning tickets shared the $656 million prize. In December, winning tickets in California and Georgia split the $648 million prize.

Drivers, take note: the 43rd annual Greater Hartford St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. today, and road closures are in effect along the parade route.

The following streets will be closed starting at 9:30 this morning:

• Capitol Avenue between Broad Street and Washington Street
• Hungerford Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street
• Oak Street between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street
• Washington Street between Capitol Avenue and Buckingham Street
• All of Trinity Street
• Capitol Avenue exit ramp from I-84 eastbound

These closures take effect at 10:40 a.m.:

• Capitol Avenue between Broad Street and Main Street
• Main Street between Buckingham Street and Church Street
• Asylum Street between Main Street and Spruce Street
• All of Ford Street
• Conlin Whitehead Highway at the Columbus Boulevard exit (the exit ramp will be open)

Roads will reopen around 3 p.m.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly shooting into the dance floor at a Hartford bar and wounding a party-goer, police said.

It stems from a Jan. 25 incident during which Bobby Fair, of Fairfield Avenue in Hartford, was thrown out of the Cleveland Café at 3019 Main Street following an altercation with security personnel, authorities said.

According to police, Fair then doubled back around the building and found partially open rear door, took out a handgun and fired into the crowded dance floor. A 33-year-old man was shot in the arm and taken to the hospital.

Fair was arrested March 14 and charged with first-degree assault, carrying a pistol without a permit, unlawful discharge of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm and first-degree reckless endangerment.

His bond was set at $750,000.

Crews are responding to a house fire at 32 Huntington Place in Norwich.

Authorities said the fire broke out just before 9 a.m. on the third floor of the three-story home.

Fire officials said residents were told to evacuate and no one was injured. The fire had been put out by 11 a.m. Saturday.

Surrounding towns are providing mutual aid.

Firefighters are still at the scene.

A delivery driver is asking for help locating a woman he helped rescue in the frantic aftermath of the building explosion in East Harlem Wednesday. 

"I want to see if she's OK," said Sam Carrasquillo.

Carrasquillo happened to be in the neighborhood when the buildings at Park Avenue and 116th Street collapsed. He immediately began shooting video on his cellphone, not quite sure what had just happened. 

"I just saw a disaster," he said. 

Nearby, rescuers tried to save someone trapped in a car. Carrasquillo saw an ambulette and looked inside. He found a woman who couldn't walk trapped inside, and the driver of the ambulette was nowhere in sight. 

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"There was nobody with her at that moment," said Carrasquillo. 

Carrasquillo is seen on the video extending his hand, but the woman doesn't move. 

"Come on, come on," he says. "There's a fire." 

He told NBC 4 New York he tried talking to her, "but she was in another world. She couldn't believe what was going on at that moment. She was in shock."

As more rescuers arrive to help, the video ends. Carrasquillo said he's been told the woman is OK but he would like to meet her again.

 "I just want to give her a kiss and a hug because she reminds me of my grandmother," he said. "That's also why I did it." 

He also wants to know where the woman's caretakers were at that time. 

NBC 4 New York was unable to reach the operators of the ambulette Friday night. 

Windsor police are investigating a robbery and shooting that happened overnight near the Rivers Bend apartments on Conestoga Street.

Police received several 911 calls around 2:15 a.m. Saturday reporting shots fired near the 200 block of Conestoga Street.

Authorities arrived to find a 30-year-old robbery and assault victim at the scene. Police said he was injured, and although shots were fired during the encounter, no one was struck by bullets.

The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

The suspects are described as two black males wearing dark-colored clothing. Witnesses said they fled in a dark SUV.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Windsor Police Det. Blezard at 860-688-5273.