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Woman Fleeing Gunfire Dies in Bronx Hit-and-Run

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A woman running from the sound of gunshots died early Saturday after the driver of an SUV hit her in the Bronx, police said.

Officials said Abigail Lino, 24, of Manhattan, was killed while trying to cross the street near the corner of Bruckner Boulevard and Austin Place in Mott Haven.

Lino, who was hit at around 3 a.m., was one of several people who fled a nearby nightclub after hearing gunfire, police said.

Lino's family said she loved to play basketball and worked two jobs while trying to help her Honduran mother gain U.S. citizenship.

Her mother, Ritza Lino, was in shock after hearing about the hit-and-run.

"Why they no stop to help my daughter, why they run?" she asked.

Authorities are searching for the driver of the light-colored SUV that hit Lino and then fled the scene.


Wine Thief Gets 6 Years in Prison

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A Newport Beach, Calif., man was convicted and sentenced to six years in state prison for stealing $2.7 million worth of wine from his clients’ storage lockers and under-reporting over $3.5 million in payroll to his workers' compensation insurance carrier, prosecutors said on Friday.

George Osumi, 65, a construction business owner, pleaded guilty to charges including: failing to file a tax return to avoid paying taxes, identity theft, perjury, grand theft, and aggravated white collar crime, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Osumi is accused of breaking into private wine storage lockers at Legend Cellars, Inc. in Irvine, stealing other people’s wine, auctioning it off, depositing the money into his bank account, and replacing the wine he took with a cheaper brand, prosecutors said.

The wine he’s accused of stealing had an estimated value of $2.7 million, officials said.

At least once he hired a friend to auction off some of the stolen wine in exchange for a portion of the proceeds, prosecutors said, adding the man did not know the wine was stolen.

He also deposited about $280,000 into his business account and used the money to pay for personal expenses and legal fees, officials alleged.

Osumi is accused of auctioning some of the stolen wine himself for nearly $311,000 at least twice and having the money deposited into his business account, the District Attorney’s Office said.

A family member of one of the clients reported the theft to the Irvine Police Department, which launched an investigation.

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: Getty Images/PhotoAlto

Deadly Nightclub Shooting Started Over Spilled Drink: Cops

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Police say the victim of a nightclub shooting in Hartford Friday morning, was killed over a spilled drink.

According to a police source, authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the suspect involved in the shooting. 21-year-old Miguel Delgado, of East Hartford,suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest, outside the Up Or On The Rocks nightclub.

Investigators believe Delgado got into an argument with someone inside the club and the fight escalated outside where he was shot.

Police said the shooting suspect is a New Haven resident and officers from the New Haven Police Department are assisting HPD in the search for the suspect in the city of New Haven.

The suspect is being charged with murder and criminal possession of a firearm, police said.

The Up Or On The Rocks nightclub is now closed after two fatal shootings this month happened after fights started inside the club, according to police.

During a news conference Friday, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra said he asked the club to close down and the owner agreed.  The owner will meet with city officials next week to come up with a plan to possibly reopen in the future, Segarra said.

Fatal Wrong Way Crash in New London

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One person is dead after traveling the wrong way on  I-95 in New London early Saturday morning.

According to state police, a Saturn with New York plates was traveling southbound in a northbound lane of I-95 on the Gold Star Bridge.

The Saturn collided head on with a GMC Sierra. The operator of the Saturn was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead on the scene.

The operator of the GMC, Derrick Brawn, 24 of Maine, refused medical treatment on the scene. The identity of the deceased person has not been released.

The highway remained closed for hours as police investigated the accident. Anyone with any information is asked to call State Police Troop E at 860-848-6500.

State police are asking anyone

Five Hospitalized After New Haven Fire

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Five people are in the hospital after a fire broke out at their home in New Haven early Saturday morning.

According to New Haven Fire Chief Michael Grant, the fire department responded to a structure fire at 35 Pendleton St. around 5:30 a.m.

When they arrived on scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames and heavy smoke was billowing out of the home.

The fire department took about 15 minute to fully extinguish the flames.

They rescued one person off of the second and another from the third floor using a ladder. The three other victims were able to get out of the home by themselves.

All four victims were taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

 

67-Year-Old Southington Man Found

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The search is over for a man who disappeared in Southington three days ago.

67-year-old Harold Smith was found just after 4:00 p.m. Saturday in the area of Blacks Road, just half a mile south of I-691 in neighboring Cheshire, police said.

Harold Smith was last seen around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the area of St. Thomas Church.

Authorities found Smith at Sunny Acres Farm in Cheshire after he approached a farm worker.

Smith had found an abandoned vehicle on the farm's property and used it as a shelter for the last three days, police said.

The police search for him included alerts to the community, blood hounds, ATVs, an air search, a small boat and GPS equipment.

Police said Smith appears to be in good health.

 



Photo Credit: Southington Police

West Haven Motorcycle Crash Victim Identified

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Police have identified the person who died in a fatal motorcycle accident in West Haven yesterday as 50-year-old Michael Cavallaro of East Avenue.

According to police, Cavallaro of East Avenue was driving eastbound near 278 Main Street when an SUV pulled out of a driveway and struck Cavallaro's motorcycle.

It happened around 3:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Main Street and Washington Avenue, police said.

Cavallaro was fatally injured and declared dead at the scene, according to police.

Residents in the neighborhood said traffic is a concern in the area.

"People are speeding down this street constantly. I often have to suggest they slow down. This is just a residential area and people treat it like a thruway," said Laurie Rodia.

Police are still investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact the West Haven police Department Major Accident Unit at 203-937-3925.

East Hartford Family Targeted in Hostage Scam

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An East Hartford family received a troubling phone call Saturday afternoon.  The caller on the other end of the line informed them one of their relatives was being held hostage.

East Hartford Police say shortly after 3pm, a woman got a call that her brother-in-law was involved in a car crash with the caller in Hartford. The caller said unless the family paid up, they'd kill him.

"At first I thought it was a lie," said the victim, Magaly. Magaly did not want to give her last name. "But we were calling my brother-in-law, and he wasn't answering the phone," she added.

So Magaly, who continued talking to the alleged kidnapper, as her family rushed to a nearby Webster Bank to give the man threatening to kill her loved one $1,000. The man on the phone then told her to head to a Western Union to transfer the money to his account.

"The family was very scared and actually went to get the money out, and they called us. And we did an investigation and found out it was a scam," said East Hartford Sgt. Tim Irwin.

Magaly's family was eventually able to contact her brother-in-law on the phone and found out everything was okay. Even during those frantic moments before, Magaly felt something was wrong, so she says she stalled for two hours while police investigated.

"[The caller said] just send the money and he'll be okay, and I said, 'No. I need to at least speak with [my brother-in-law].' And he said no," said Magaly.

Police say the scammer called from a number with a Massachusetts area code but that the call originated in Puerto Rico.

NBC Connecticut called the number but no one answered.

It's become a scam more and more police departments around the state are dealing with. Police say this particular scammer made about 40 phone calls in one day trying to take people's money.

The best thing you can do if you ever get a phone call like that is to call police.


Anti-War Protests Erupt in LA

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Anti-war protesters took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday as the U.S. appeared poised to strike civil war-torn Syria over its use of alleged chemical weapons against rebels.

More than 200 people were involved in the mostly peaceful protests at Pershing Square, beginning about 1:30 p.m. Police cited about 40 people for disrupting traffic in the streets and arrested two protesters who refused to sign the citations, said LAPD Capt. Michael Oreb.

Many of the protesters were supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who questioned evidence that he used chemical weapons against rebels.

"We don't need to spend our money, our tax money, our hardworking money ... on wars," said Syrian-American protester Emily Greer. "We need peace. We don't want wars."

As President Barack Obama seeks congressional approval for military action against Syria, Congressman Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, said senators and representatives need ought to carefully consider their decision.

"This is not a judgment to be made by the Congress in haste, and consultation with the administration needs to intensify now," Schiff said in a prepared statement. "I was briefed by the intelligence community again yesterday, and look forward to tomorrow's hearing."

More Southern California Stories:

One Dead, One Injured in Hartford Shooting

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One man is dead and a female is in the hospital after an early morning shooting in Hartford.

According to police, 911 calls came pouring in around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning to report shots fired on Durham St.

When police arrived, they found two people suffering from multiple gun shot wounds in front of 16 Durham St.

The male victim, 30 from Manchester, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead on the scene. The female victim, 34 from Hartford, was shot once and transported to St. Francis Hospital.

She is suffering from non-life threatening gun shot wounds and was alert and conscious on the scene.

A suspect is still at large. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Brandon O’Brien at 860-757-4089. Tips can be reported anonymously to “Crime Stoppers” at (860) 722-TIPS (8477).

10 Hot Back-to-School Items

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From laptops to backpacks, smartpens to tablets, some items on the back-to-school shopping list are a must-have.

5 Dead, 12 Wounded in Weekend Chicago Violence

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At least five people have been killed and 12 others wounded in gun violence across Chicago Labor Day weekend.

One man was killed and two others were injured in a violent attack in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood early Saturday morning.

The shooting took place around 2:30 a.m. in the 3800 block of South Halsted Street where police found a 21-year-old man dead in an apartment building, police said.

Another man, 21, was found shot in the head and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

A third man, 25, was found with gunshot wounds to the head and leg after his vehicle crashed into a light pole near 43rd Street and Wentworth Avenue, Mirabelli said.

Mirabelli said no other details were available on the shooting and it was not clear if the 25-year-old man was fleeing the scene.

Less than an hour later, a 19-year-old man was shot in the Pilsen neighborhood in the 1000 block of W. 20th Street.

Police said a light-colored SUV drove by and fired shots at the teen, striking him in the left leg. He was transported to Stroger Hospital in stable condition.

Around the same time, a woman was shot in the 4500 block of North Christiana Avenue during an armed robbery. The victim was transported to Swedish Covenant Hospital, police said.

The armed robbers fled the scene but were pulled over shortly after for a traffic stop in the 5300 block of North Kimball, according to authorities.

The officers then arrested two people in the vehicle’s back seat, but a third fled the scene on foot, according to police spokesperson Pat Camden.

Police chased the armed man through gangways before cornering him in the 5400 block of North Spaulding Avenue, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

Police ordered the man to put down his weapon, Camden said, but when the man raised his gun, an officer shot him in the arm and took him into custody.

Just after 4 a.m., a 31-year-old man was shot near the corner of Chicago and Menard Avenues.

Police said the man was standing on the sidewalk when a light-colored SUV drove by and fired shots.

The man was taken to West Suburban Medical Center with wounds to the chest and right arm, but police said he was later transferred to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

Hours later, a teen was shot in the shoulder in the 500 block of West 81st Street. The 18-year-old man was shot just before 9 a.m. and police said the shooter appeared to have been a relative.

The teen was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and was last listed in stable condition, O'Brien said.

O'Brien said it did not appear the shooter was in custody as of Saturday afternoon.

A man in his 20s was found dead Saturday afternoon in the rear of a building in the Morgan Park neighborhood.

The man, said to be between 20 and 25 years of age, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, O'Brien said.

No one was in custody for the shooting as of Saturday afternoon.

The weekend's most recent shooting took place Sunday morning around 7:40 a.m. when police were called to the 12200 block of South Aberdeen Street, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Sullivan.

A man was fatally shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not have any other details on the shooting Sunday morning.

Around 3 a.m. Sunday a 23-year-old man was shot in the 6700 block of South Marshfield Avenue.

The man was arguing with another man who took out a handgun and shot him, police siad.

The man was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hip, police said.

An off-duty Chicago police officer fatally shot a burglar in the Old Town neighborhood late Saturday night, police said.

Around 6 p.m. Saturday a 16-year-old boy was shot in the Uptown neighborhood.

The boy was in the 1000 block of West Wilson Avenue when he was shot in the head, police said.

He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.

A second person was also injured in the same shooting, and later walked into a hospital with a gunshot wound to his wrist, police said.

Around 1:20 p.m., in the 1100 block of North Orleans Street, a man, whose age was not immediately know, was shot in the head by another man dressed in red clothing, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer O'Brien.

The shooter fled the scene and the man was transported in serious condition to an area hospital, O'Brien said.

Further details surrounding the shooting were not immediately available.

On Friday, a man walked into Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a wound to the foot. The man said he was shot about six hours earlier in the 2700 block of North Western Avenue, but police said the incident is still being investigated and it appears the man may have shot himself.

Earlier, a man was killed around 1:30 p.m. in the 5100 block of South Winchester Avenue.

The man suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

No one was in custody for the shooting and no other details were available as of Saturday morning, Mirabelli said.

Police said Sunday that, despite the violent weekend, Chicago saw a decline in shootings and murders for the month of August.

“While there have been significantly fewer shootings and murders this year, one victim is one too many and there's clearly more work to be done,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. “We will continue our close partnership with the community and continue implementing our comprehensive policing strategy, but to address gun violence we need stronger laws that keep illegal guns out of our streets in the first place."
 

Rim Fire Surpasses 222,000 Acres, 4th Largest in Calif. History

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Firefighters are continually making headway in fighting the Rim Fire on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park: On Saturday, they had contained 40 percent of the blaze, which has now charred a total of 222,777 acres of forest.

It also now has the dubious distinction of being California's 4th largest wildfire in state history, according to CAL FIRE.

For the first time since the fire started near Yosemite two weeks ago, the smoke has reached the Valley and the most popular tourist destinations there. NBC Bay Area talked to people in the Valley who said the smoke is so thick, they cannot even see Yosemite's Half Dome.

NBC Bay Area has learned the heavy smoke has forced fire officials to ground all firefighting aircraft because of the low visibility.

Increasingly confident fire officials said they expect to fully surround the blaze in three weeks, although it will burn for much longer than that.

Some of the nearly 5,000 firefighters, including strike teams from San Francisco and Mountain View, returned home this weekend after spending days on the fire lines.

MORE: Rim Fire Incident Command Page

The Rim Fire fire has been raging in the heart of the Stanislaus National Forest since Aug. 17, and investigators said they may know what may have sparked the massive blaze.

Investigators said Marijuana growers could be to blame. A Tuolumne County Fire official told community members that investigators are looking into that possibility.

A total of 5,500 structures still remained threatened, and so far, 111 buildings were damaged - 11 of them were homes, despite earlier reports that 31 homes had burned. Nearly 5,000 firefighters have now been called in to battle the blaze.

As of Friday, several evacuations orders, including one for Tuolumne City, had been lifted. But Yosemite National Park - which has remained open during the entirety of the fire - had closed Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek Campgrounds.

The biggest loss was the complete destruction of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp, a family camp run by the city of Berkeley since 1922. Friends of the camp set up a Facebook page to collect old photos of good times at the camp. As of Thursday, the Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp Photo Memorial had 1,732 friends.

The other camps in the area, including San Jose Family Camp, San Francisco's Camp Mather and Camp Tawonga were evacuated safely shortly after the fire broke out.

Check out an interactive map via Esri.com.




Photo Credit: Getty Images

Toddler Falls Off Porch in Bridgeport

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A two-year-old is in stable condition after falling from a second-floor porch in Bridgeport Saturday morning, according to police.

Police said the toddler fell from an apartment porch at 260 Summerfield Ave. in Bridgeport around 9:30 a.m. yesterday. He was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital and later transferred to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment.

At the time of the accident, police said the child's injuries were potentially life threatening. His condition has improved and he's now considered stable, according to police.

Authorities said the toddler was in the care of a non-family member who was also looking after several other children at the time.

The Bridgeport Major Crime Squad and Fire Department responded to the scene, along with detectives from the Bridgeport Police Youth Bureau. The state Department of Children and Family Services was also notified, police said.

The investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Armed Robbery Suspects Arrested in Bristol

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Bristol police have arrested a 19-year-old man and two juveniles in connection with an armed robbery that took place Saturday night on Memorial Boulevard.

According to police, Shayne Shakes, 19, of 53 Adam Street in Hartford, robbed a 16-year-old in Bristol on Saturday after threatening him with a gun. Police said Shakes and two other suspects, ages 17 and 14, took the victim’s wallet, cellphone and backpack.

No one was injured during the incident. A person driving by saw it happen and called police, who were able to track down the suspects and take them into custody.

Shakes was charged with first-degree robbery, fifth-degree larceny, possession of a dangerous weapon, second-degree breach of peace, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny.

He is being held on a $50,000 bond and is due in court in Bristol on Sept. 3.

The two other suspects were also arrested and were referred to the Juvenile Court system, police said.

The investigation is ongoing.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Huge Crowd Heads to New Haven for Road Race

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Every year, the Stratton Faxon New Haven Labor Day Road Race puts runners to the test, and organizers say the 36th year will be the best one yet, with U.S. Olympians and past race winners leading the pack.

"This year our field is stronger than it's ever been with the elite men and elite women who are the best distance runners in the country," said John Courtemanche, president of the race Board of Directors.

Courtemanche said the purse is $22,000 for the male winner and $22,000 for the female winner.

At registration on Sunday, organizers said they expect about 7,000 runners to attend, hailing from three different countries and 40 states.

"I think it's a great opportunity for people to get together and show how excited they are about seeing New Haven," said runner Alberto Salvatore.

"There's a lot going on, lots of action, so it's really exciting," said runner Rachel Plucinski.

For those who live or travel along the routes, the event closing roads from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. can be quite the headache. No parking signs are already set up for 1 a.m. to noon Monday.

While the roads are closed, Edgewood Avenue will be kind of tricky to get around, but organizers say the rest will be easier for drivers to maneuver.

"It's something I try to make every year, and it helps out different programs in the area, so why not help out?" said runner Linda Doll.

Over the last 35 years, the event has raised nearly $500,000 for local charities.

The race starts at the New Haven Green and wraps around the Yale University campus and through the Westville neighborhood. It features a Kids' Race, beginning at 8:15 a.m., followed by a5K and a 20K.

A Kids' Run will begin at 8:15 a.m. Monday and the 20K and 5K will begin 30 minutes after that.

Registration continues through race day tomorrow.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Friends and Family Remember Hartford Crash Victims

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Coming together where loved ones lost their lives just days before, friends and family lit candles and shed tears as they remembered the teenage victims of a fatal Hartford crash.

Connell Chambers, 18, and Rubbie Laguerre, 15, of Hartford, died just after midnight Thursday when the car they were riding in slammed into a vacant building at the corner of Albany Avenue and Main Street.

Many people who attended the vigil said they were still in shock and disbelief.

"It's weird because he was supposed to walk across the stage," said Kyla Kelley, a friend of Chambers. "You can't imagine any of your friends not graduating."

"I expect him to pop up out of nowhere just smiling. It doesn't feel like he's gone to me," said Marlon Barnard, another friend.

Police said Chambers was driving his mother's Infiniti with Laguerre in the front seat and 17-year-old Schneider Cadet in back when he lost control and crashed.

Cadet made it out before the car burst into flames, police said. He survived and was being treated for minor injuries at St. Francis Hospital.

Laguerre and Chambers died on impact.

Sunday's growing memorial gave friends and family members of the victims a chance to grieve together.

"When I came here and saw all these people I started crying because Ruby did have a lot of friends and people that cared about her, and it just hurt me to see them all come over here and mourn her death with me," said Laguerre's friend Amanda Stewart.

The crash remains under investigation.

Massive Blaze Guts Deli Meat Warehouse

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A massive fire that destroyed a southern New Jersey food warehouse has finally been contained, more than a day after it broke out.
 
The fire broke out at the Dietz & Watson cold storage facility on Cooperstown Road in Delanco, Burlington County, N.J. around 1:30 p.m. Sunday and caused the roof, lined with thousands of solar panels, to collapse within hours. Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the facility miles away.

“It’s just an intense fire,” said Delanco Fire Chief Ron Holt. “It’s going to take some time, and we don’t know what it’s going to do."

By Monday morning, the blaze continued to burn as water issues, the threat of electrocution and other factors hindered firefighting efforts. Crews began to arrive before 9 a.m. While fire officials were finally able to contain the blaze early Monday evening, they also say it will likely continue to smolder for the next few days. 

More than 200 firefighters from Burlington, Mercer, Gloucester, Camden and Atlantic Counties were brought to the distribution center which is about 300,000 square feet -- roughly the size of five football fields.

SOLAR PANELS POSE HAZARD

Firefighters had to pull back at some points because the fully-charged solar panels posed the risk of electrocution.

"With all that power and energy up there, I can't jeopardize a guy’s life for that,” said Holt.

Officials say the fire was focused between the trusses and solar panels on the roof. There have been two explosions so far and at least one wall collapsed.

In 2010, the company installed more than 7,000 solar power modules, which officials claimed would reduce the facility's energy use by nearly 20 percent. Buildings with solar power systems “can present a variety of significant hazards" for firefighters including poor air quality and electrocution, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The Burlington County hazmat team was called to the scene to test the air quality and concluded that there is no hazard at this time. However, residents received a reverse 911 message from the Beverly and Edgewater Park Joint Office of Emergency Management which warned them to stay inside their homes, close their windows and avoid breathing in the smoke.

“Unless you’re standing right there and breathing, it's dissipating before it hits ground,” said Chief Holt. “That's why we called the health department and hazmat team... (If they say close your window) that's their expertise, that's what I go with.”

No residents were evacuated.

Around 5 p.m. Sunday, fire officials were concerned that the water and foam used to fight the blaze would cause the roof to collapse and called all firefighters out of the building as a precaution.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries including Chief Holt who broke his foot.

“If the building collapses, it collapses…it can be replaced. I’m not sending a man in to lose a life," said Holt.

DRAINING THE PUMPS

The amount of water needed to douse the flames drained pumps, forcing crews to bring in extra from other areas.

Trucked-in water is being dumped into large temporary pools, which are then connected to hoses and sent spraying on the building.

The Camden Fire Boat crew also responded to the scene to help stretch a water pipeline from the Rancocas Creek.

New Jersey American Water asked customers in Edgewater Park, Beverley, and Delanco to limit their water usage as crews battle the blaze.

"Due to the large volumes of water being used by firefighters to tackle the six-alarm blaze, we ask that customers restrict their home water usage until such time as the fire is successfully brought under control. Additionally, you may experience periods of low pressure as we try to direct as much water to the firefighting efforts as possible,” according to Communications Director Peter Eschbach.

“That’s major because (without water) you are not putting the fire out,” said Holt.

ONLY MINOR INJURIES

The Delanco Riverside Bridge was closed around 7 p.m. Officials did not indicate when it would reopen.

Sandy Iwanicki, who lives near the warehouse, said she initially thought a plane had crashed.

“It looked to me like the kind of scene you would see if a plane crashed the black smoke was immense it was amazing,” said Iwanicki.

Dietz & Watson officials released a statement on their website shortly after the blaze.

"Dietz & Watson suffered a setback to its Delanco Distribution center over the Labor Day Weekend. Other distribution centers, as well as all production facilities, were unaffected by this event. At this time, we are assessing the immediate needs of our customers; business remains as usual. The Dietz & Watson Family appreciates all of the support it has received during this time, and is thankful that no one sustained any injury. Further, the company appreciates the efforts of all emergency services," according to the statement.

There is no word at this time on how the fire will effect production at the facility or the impact it will have in your local grocery store. Louis Eni, Dietz & Watson CEO, claims the prices on the grocery store won't be going up due to the fire however. Dietz & Watson employs more than 130 workers at the facility.

As for the impact on Delanco, the mayor called the fire a loss for the town.

“This is a loss for Delanco, for all the employees, the economy and what have you… we ‘re going to take care of the firefighters and I just want to thank them all,” said Mayor Kate Fitzpatrick.

Officials say the facility was not operating Sunday. Two security guards were working outside the building.

The company, founded in 1939, opened the center in 2007. It is their main distribution center. They also have processing facilities in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Corfu, New York.

The cause of the fire likely won't be known until the blaze is extinguished and investigators can get inside.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Cabbie Stabbed 11 Times

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A fare nearly turned deadly for a Philadelphia cab driver overnight.

Two men stabbed the city taxi driver nearly a dozen times during a robbery at Front Street and Washington Avenue in the Queen Village neighborhood, according to Philadelphia Police.

The attack left the driver in the hospital, one of the alleged attackers under arrest and another on the loose.

Police say cabdriver let the men out of his cab around 1:15 a.m. near Front and Washington. According to police, one of the men stood by the driver's window appearing to get money from his wallet when the other man took a knife and began stabbing the driver.

At that time the other man also took out a knife and began attacking the cabbie through the driver's side window.

The driver fought back, grabbing one of the men's knives and stabbing him. At that time the other suspect stabbed the cabbie in the head. The taxi driver also suffered wounds to his arm, side and chest in the process, according to investigators.

The suspects ran away. Originally it was reported that they took $20 but police later clarified that they actually took $205. 

After the attack, the 37-year-old cabbie, who investigators haven't identified, managed to drive about eight blocks to Front and South Streets because he knew there are normally police in that area.

"Someone outside saw him and called police, and they responded quickly," said police Capt. Frank Llewellyn.

Despite being stabbed, the driver was able to give a basic description of his attackers.

Police picked up one alleged assailant -- a 21-year-old who they have yet to identify -- at 4th and Federal Streets. The other man got away, and police say it’s possible he was stabbed in the process of the attack.

The driver was taken to Jefferson University Hospital. He was believed to be in critical condition but police later said he was in stable condition with what investigators called "superficial" wounds.

Anyone with information on this incident should contact Philadelphia Police.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Rim Fire 60% Contained, Marijuana Grow Possibly to Blame

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Firefighters battling the stubborn Rim Fire near Yosemite finally contained more than half of the wildfire on Monday, reaching 60 percent containment.

Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant issued the good news early on Labor Day, adding that the Rim Fire has now charred 228, 670 acres, or 357 square miles – more than seven times the size of San Francisco.

The containment should only grow, he added, as the weather forecast for Northern California should see cooler temperatures and even some possible rain. Still, the expected full containment date is Sept. 20.

The fire has been burning since Aug. 17 in the Stanislaus National Forest.  According to one fire official who is not officially charged with investigating the fire, it's possible that illegal marijuana growers could be to blame.

Todd McNeal, fire chief in the town of Twain Harte, west of Yosemite, said at an Aug. 23 community meeting, captured on YouTube, that officials "know it's human caused, there’s no lightning in the area. … (We) highly suspect that it might be some sort of illicit grove, marijuana grow-type thing.”    His comments come at the 6:24 minute mark of a 20-minute briefing, and he underscores there is no official cause, just that it's "highly suspect."

McNeal did not return a phone call Monday when NBC Bay Area called seeking comment.

Officially, however, there is no cause listed for the fire according to the U.S. Forest Service. On Monday, Rim Fire spokesman Brian Haines told NBC Bay Area that the investigators have still not determined what sparked the blaze, and at this point, the marijuana theory is just "an opinion."

He did say that federal investigators had pinpointed the origin of the fire: The Jawbone Ridge in Tuolumne County, which sits on Groveland Ranger District land, at the point where the Clavey River and the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River meet up. That spot, he said, is the focus of the investigation.

As of Monday, the Rim Fire remained the 4th largest wildfire in California's history, edging out a 222,777-acre fire that burned in Ventura County in 1932. The third largest fire is now the Zaca fire in Santa Barbara, which burned more than 240,000 acres in July 2007.

The Rim Fire is just one of seven major wildfires being battled across the state. Berlant said that a new fire ignited Saturday on the Tule Indian Reservation in Tulare County, burning 250 acres.

Also on Saturday, the smoke in Yosemite Valley was so thick it was difficult to see Yosemite Park's Half Dome. On Sunday, however, air quality in the Valley improved, but people there are still being told to avoid any strenuous outdoor activity.

Some of the nearly 5,000 firefighters, including strike teams from San Francisco and Mountain View, returned home this weekend after spending days on the fire lines.

MORE: Rim Fire Incident Command Page

Despite the containment, a total of 5,500 structures still remained threatened, and so far, 111 buildings were damaged - 11 of them were homes, despite earlier reports that 31 homes had burned.

Check out an interactive map via Esri.com.




Photo Credit: Getty Images
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