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Man Stabbed Outside of Music Lady Café

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A 43-year-old Versailles, Connecticut man was stabbed in Plainfield early Saturday morning and police are looking for the man responsible.

Norwich police notified Plainfield police at 3:15 a.m. that there was a stabbing victim at William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich who had been stabbed in Plainfield.

The man, 43, told police that he was stabbed in the Music Lady Café parking lot at 6 Green Hollow Road in Central Village as he was leaving the front of the building at about 2 a.m.

He was driven to the hospital to be treated for a stab wound to the abdomen and a laceration on his face sustained after the altercation, police said. His injuries aren't life-threatening, according to police.

Police described the man who stabbed the victim as 21 to 28 years old, about 5-foot-6 and skinny. He had black hair, a goatee and wore a grey-hooded sweatshirt, police said. It's unknown whether he ran from the scene or left in a car.

Plainfield police ask anyone with information to contact them at 860-564-0804 or call the department's anonymous tip line at 860-564-7065.


Mother, 23, Found Stabbed to Death

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A 23-year-old mother who went missing with her newborn daughter in early April has been found stabbed to death in a home in Gary, Indiana, police said.

The body of Samantha Fleming, of Anderson, Indiana, wrapped in plastic, stuffed in a storage bin and soaked in bleach at about 3 p.m. Friday, according to Lieutenant Thomas Pawlak of the Gary Police Department. The body was found in a home in the 1900 block of Cleveland Street.

Pawlak confirmed multiple stab wounds as the cause of death.

Fleming left her home in Anderson on April 6 with an African-American woman claiming to be with the Indiana Department of Child Services who told Fleming she had a hearing in Lake Superior Court, police said. Fleming's boyfriend reported her missing soon after.

Anderson Police investigators found no record of an employee with the Department of Child Services at Fleming's residence on April 6.

Fleming's cellphone records led police to Gary to investigate the young mother's whereabouts. A groundskeeper at an apartment complex in Gary also found Fleming's wallet the day she went missing.

The woman who lived in the house has been identified as "person of interest," but she is currently hospitalized in a mental health facility in Texas for treatment of depression, police said. She has not been charged.

The suspect's family members said she had previously claimed to be pregnant with twins, but they became suspicious after inconsistencies in her alleged due date. In recent weeks, the woman told family members she delivered one child and lost the other one in birth, police said. She then requested that no one visit her at the hospital.

Fleming's three-week-old daughter, Serenity, was found safe in the care of the alleged supsect's sister, who was in the home.

When police arrived at the home, they found a woman holding an infant girl. The woman could not identify the baby and said she belonged to her sister, who left for Texas a week before, police said.

The sister also said she had only been in the house 30 minutes before police arrived and complained of a foul odor coming from within the home.

Police then discovered the body of a young woman in the home who was later identified as Fleming. The infant appeared unharmed and has been returned to family in Indianapolis.



Photo Credit: Anderson Police

Police Seek Suspected iPhone Thieves

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Waterford police are looking for two suspected of stealing six iPhone 6 cellphones and multiple cases from a Simply Mac store in the Crystal Mall in Waterford.

The men stole from the store at about 8:30 p.m. on April 14, Waterford police said on Facebook.

One of the men, described as 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, in his early 20s and having a facial hair on his chin, stashed phones from the stock room in his pants after finding the door propped open, police said. He was wearing a True Religion jean jacket, a red hooded sweatshirt, red and black Nike basketball sneakers, camouflage pants and a black leather Chicago Bulls hat, police said.

Police are looking for another man in his 20s, who police described as shorter and wearing dark clothes and a black hat with "100" on it in white letters, police said.

Police ask anyone who recognizes the people in the photographs to report it to Officer Ferland at the Waterford Police Department at 860-442-9451 or email him at Dferland@waterfordct.org or send a private message. All calls will be kept confidential.



Photo Credit: Waterford Police Department

Forest Fire Danger "Very High" in Connecticut

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Open burning is forbidden, even with permits, on Saturday because the forest fire danger is very high in Connecticut and the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning because of wind and humidity, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

"Very high" is the second highest fire danger level, according to DEEP. All open burning permits are suspended while the fire danger is high and DEEP cautions residents to be careful with outdoor cooking fires.

“Residents need to know that any permit to burn brush is not valid when the Forest Fire Danger is rated high, very high, or extreme,” DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen said in a statement. “Anyone spotting a forest fire should remain calm and dial 911 to report the fire as quickly as possible to the local fire Department.”

A red flag warning is typically issued when winds are expected to be constant, gusts are predicted to surpass a threshold of about 25 miles an hour, humidity is below 30 percent and the precipitation has been less than a quarter-inch within the past five days, according to DEEP. The warning is effective between noon and 8 p.m., DEEP said.

"Early spring time weather typically includes daily changes in forest fire danger and can easily catch residents off guard. While many experienced scattered showers with occasional pockets of moderate but brief rain yesterday, relative humidity in the low teens and strong winds quickly dry residual dead or cured vegetation from the previous winter to create ground conditions very conducive for fire ignition and spread," DEEP said in a news release. "These daily variations will last until forest under growth greens during May."

With winds gusting up to at least 30 miles an hour Saturday afternoon, controlling fires will be more of a challenge, according to DEEP.

The Division of Forestry at DEEP monitors forest fire danger "to help protect Connecticut's 1.8 million acres of forest land," DEEP said.

DEEP gives the following tips to help Connecticut residents prevent fires:

  • To make the area around your home "fire safe," clear any vegetation and debris that is flammable in a 30-foot radius around your house. 
  • Trim lower branches on evergreens near your house because that type of tree burns quickly.
  • Cut any branches that hang over your roof or chimney.
  • Clean leaves and needles from your gutters.
  • Don't store firewood in your fire safe zone.
  • Outfit your house with fire-resistant roofing materials.
  • Make your home ease for firefighters to locate and access by ensuring your home is marked clearly and clearing branches and trees along your driveway that would make it difficult for a fire truck to fit.
  • Form an escape plan and practice it.
  • Abide by state and municipal open burning laws.
  • Supervise outdoor fires until they are completely safe and extinguished.
  • Throw out wood ashes into a metal bucket and soak the ashes in water before dumping them out.

Here are some other fire safety tips when visiting Connecticut’s parks, forests, and open space:

  • Obey local open fire laws, including campfires
  • Make sure to keep flammable objects away from fire
  • Keep firefighting tools nearby.
  • Dispose of hot charcoal very carefully.
  • Pour water on fires to extinguish them when you're done.
  • Make sure to extinguish materials that are smoking cautiously. 


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Route 156 Closed in Old Lyme After Car Strikes Pedestrian

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Route 156 is closed in Old Lyme at the Pilgrim Landing Road intersection after a pedestrian was struck by a car and LifeStar responded.

LifeStar airlifted on patient to Yale-New haven Hospital. There is no word on the person's condition.

The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. and the road was still closed at 5:06 p.m.

Batali's Restaurant Crash

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A pickup truck drove into a Los Angeles, California, restaurant backed by a reknowned chef Saturday afternoon, fire officials said.

One person was injured in the crash at Osteria Mozza, near the intersection of Highland and Melrose avenues, according to tweets from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

One person suffered a non-life-threatening injury and was sent to a hospital after the 12:45 p.m. crash, fire officials said. The restaurant later said in a tweet that "everyone will be OK."

The restaurant was closed when the truck hit it, according to the tweets.

Chef and TV host Mario Batali is part of the creative team behind the restaurant, according to its website, which said it would be closed Saturday night.



Photo Credit: Courtesy Los Angeles Fire Department

Complaints Against Towing Company

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The Virginia towing company at the center of the ESPN Britt McHenry viral rant video, Advanced Towing Company, has been the subject of 155 complaints from 2012 to 2014, according to Arlington County Police records.

This number of complaints is almost twice as many as the other towing companies in Arlington combined, according to statistics recently gathered by the News4 I-team.

Police also determined Advanced Towing committed 15 violations in during this time.

"They are like thieves," said Carlos Martinez, whose car was towed while he went to an ATM for cash. "We leave the car and immediately they stole our car and we have to pay a reward to get our car back."

After having lunch, Martinez parked his Dodge Caravan in the lot near the Boston Market restaurant at Columbia Pike and S. Glebe Road. He crossed the street to the Bank of America to get cash, but when he returned, his van was gone. Advanced Towing took it to the impound lot a few miles away, slapping Martinez with at $135 bill.

Now Martinez is joining others who've been towed in accusing Advanced Towing of predatory practices.

In December, a woman complained after her vehicle was towed with her dog inside.

Earlier this month, Max Daout was outraged when he was inside a CVS and an Advanced tow truck driver hooked his car with his two children inside. The children yelled, and the driver unhooked and took off.

"When I started crying he said I'm sorry for freaking you out," said 7-year-old Max Daout.

His father called Advanced Towing about the incident but says he never got an explanation or apology.

"I would like them to be held accountable for the predatory practices that they are implementing by towing cars that are legally parked," said Max Daout.

In early April, after the children were nearly towed away, owner John O'Neil said anytime a driver leaves the lot they parked in to go do business outside that shopping area, they can be towed.

News4 emailed Advanced Towing's owner for comment and stopped by the business but received no response.

Penguins Get Even With 4-3 Win Over Rangers

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Sidney Crosby scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins evened their first-round playoff series with the New York Rangers with a 4-3 win Saturday night.

The Rangers won Game 1 by making Crosby virtually invisible and keeping Evgeni Malkin out of the danger zone. On Saturday, both of them and the Penguins as a whole showed more jump, possessing the puck and keeping New York off-balance. Forcing turnovers in the decisive second period, shutting down the Rangers' power play and generally controlling the pace, the Penguins got even.

Crosby, naturally, was at the center of the turnaround. He broke a 1-1 tie by knocking in a rebound of Patric Hornqvist's shot in the second period. Then Crosby made a diving deflection past Henrik Lundqvist of a pass from Chris Kunitz on the right wing boards following a Rangers giveaway in their zone.

Game 3 is Monday night in Pittsburgh.


Wounded Veterans Arrive for Boston Marathon

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Ten wounded veterans arrived from Walter Reed Medical Center to a cheering crowd at Logan International Airport Saturday. They've traveled to compete in the Boston Marathon as part of the Achilles Freedom Team.

"The team, for so many reasons, is just thrilled to be in Boston," said Director Janet Patton.

This is Army Sgt. Christopher Anderson's first time in Boston, but it isn't his first marathon handcycling with the team.

Anderson was injured while serving in Afghanistan, but he hasn't let his injury slow him down.

"It's therapeutic, and it's a support system," said Anderson. "You've got your family's support, your friends, volunteers, a whole community."

For the first responders, and others who stood by saluting, cheering and holding American flags, they say it's the least they can do to show these brave heroes the welcome and support they deserve.

"I want them to know we love them, we're proud of them, and I can't do enough for them," said Bernadette Ippolito, a supporter whose son serves in the U.S. Army.

"Having lost my husband on 9/11, I feel very personal about their service and the sacrifices that they've made," said Christie Coombs of the Jeffrey Coombs Memorial Foundation. "Being here for the Boston Marathon shows how far they've come in their recovery, having lost limbs, having been paralyzed, having gone through what they've gone through."



Photo Credit: necn

Teenager Shot Dead In New Haven

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One teenager is dead and another young man is in the hospital after a double shooting in New Haven. 

According to police, a call was received reporting a double shooting on Exchange St. near Blatchlesy Ave. around 12:10 a.m. Sunday morning.

When police arrived, they found two victims who had been shot inside of a white VW hatch-back. One victim, Justin Compress, 20, was shot in the shoulder, hand and wrist.

The sixteen-year-old victim, a resident of Exchange St., was pronounced dead at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Police are looking for a suspicious vehicle that is a black or dark-colored 4-door car that fled towards James St. There are no descriptions of the suspect or suspects.

The Major Crimes Division and Bureau of Investigations are interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence.

Anyone with information is asked to call New Haven Detectives at 203-946-6304.

New Hartford Brush Fire Spans 10-15 Acres

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Firefighters from nearly two dozen fire departments are responding to a brush fire burning over 10 to 12 acres at Nepaug State Forest in New Hartford.

The fire was 50 percent contained as of 5:34 p.m.

The brush fire is deep in the woods and crews are trucking water in and transporting personnel, water and supplies to the fire site on all-terrain vehicles. The call came in about 1:52 p.m, Litchfield County Dispatch confirmed.

Another challenge to firefighters is the hilly terrain near the fire site, according to Litchfield County Dispach.

“Very high fire danger which was advertised for today. You’re talking very rugged terrain up there: rocks and hills and a lack of water actually. Getting water to the scene has been a struggle so far," John Barbagallo, public information officer for the Norfolk fire department, said.

New Hartford, Canton, Burlington, Simsbury, Farmington, Avon, Granby, Winsted/Winchester, Woodbury, Norfolk, Torrington, Bantam, Colebrook, Harwinton, Barkhamsted, Pine Meadow, Riverton, Pleasant Valley, Nepaug, Colebrook and Harwinton firefighters are responding. The initial report indicated that the fire was about 5 acres, but Canton police said earlier in the day they received information it may have spread.

Firefighters didn't encounter any hikers or campers when they went into the forest.

Some fire departments are stationed on the Route 202 side of the orest and others are on the opposite side of the forest off Route 44 near the Satan's Kingdom tubing area and Portobello's restaurant.

The fire comes on a day whern the forest fire danger level is very high in Connecticut and conditions are ripe for brush to become kindling. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning because of wind and humidity.

As of 4:30 p.m., fire officials said they expect to be on scene for several more hours.

The cause of the fire is unknown.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Bus Carrying Students Catches Fire

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One of four chartered buses taking UConn students from campus to Boston caught fire on a ramp to the Massachusetts Turnpike in Sturbridge, Massachusetts on Saturday.

The students were headed to a harbor cruise organized by a UConn student organization, according to UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz. No passengers were injured and smaller buses arrived to pick up the students who were on the bus that caught fire.

UConn student Hanna Kirsch said it was a "terrifying experience because you should be able to trust public transportation," but said that she doesn't fault the UConn organization that planned the trip because they couldn't have seen it coming.

"We had waited for this bus company to show up for 45 min outside of our UConn student union and after being on 84 for about 30 min, we all pulled over because a bus was having problems with its brakes," Kirsch said. "We were not updated on the situation whatsoever, it was handled VERY poorly by the bus company, and not to mention lives were put in danger by the negligence of the bus company and the way the drivers handled the situation. I was one of the first people who called 911, and ordered the bus driver to pull further away from a potentially fatal situation. After about 15 min of the bus smoking violently and students fleeing from the scene, the bus combusted and we continued on our way. Later on I saw pictures of the bus burned complete wreckage."

There wasn't a full bus to take everyone to Boston, so 52 students were taken back to campus on the mini buses and will get refunds for the cruise, Reitz said.

Police confirmed that the bus blaze happened on the on-ramp from I-84 onto I-90 eastbound and caused two lanes to close.

Viewer @CorporateGinger shared a photo of crews working to extinguish flames from the bus. She said she was passing by the bus fire around 1:30 p.m.

Police say the scene was cleared around 3:30 p.m.

No one was injured.



Photo Credit: @CorporateGinger
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Feds Admit Years of Flawed Forensic Testimony: Report

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The Justice Department and FBI have formally acknowledged that nearly every examiner in the FBI Laboratory's microscopic hair comparison unit gave flawed testimony in almost all trials in which they offered evidence against criminal defendants over more than a two-decade period before 2000, The Washington Post reported.

Twenty-six of the 28 examiners overstated forensic matches in ways that favored prosecutors in more than 95 percent of the 268 trials reviewed so far, the Post reported Saturday, citing information from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Innocence Project.

The organizations are assisting the government with the post-conviction review of questioned forensic evidence and provided the statistics under an agreement with the government to release results after the review of the first 200 convictions, the Post reported.

The cases include those of 32 defendants sentenced to death; of those, 14 have been executed or died in prison, the Post reported in a story posted on its website.

The FBI errors alone do not mean there was not other evidence of a convict's guilt, the Post said. Defendants and federal and state prosecutors in 46 states and the District of Columbia are being notified to determine whether there are grounds for appeals, according to the newspaper. Four defendants were previously exonerated.

In a statement released to the Post, the FBI and Justice Department vowed to continue to devote resources to address all cases and said they "are committed to ensuring that affected defendants are notified of past errors and that justice is done in every instance. The department and the FBI are also committed to ensuring the accuracy of future hair analysis, as well as the application of all disciplines of forensic science."

The FBI is waiting to complete all reviews to assess causes but has acknowledged that hair examiners until 2012 lacked written standards defining scientifically appropriate and erroneous ways to explain results in court, the Post reported. The bureau expects this year to complete similar standards for testimony and lab reports for 19 forensic disciplines, the newspaper said.

Federal authorities launched the investigation in 2012 after the Post reported that flawed forensic hair matches might have led to the convictions of hundreds of potentially innocent people since at least the 1970s, typically for murder, rape and other violent crimes nationwide.

The review confirmed that FBI experts systematically testified to the near-certainty of "matches" of crime-scene hairs to defendants, backing their claims by citing incomplete or misleading statistics drawn from their case work, the Post reported. In reality, according to the newspaper, there is no accepted research on how often hair from different people may appear the same. Since 2000, the lab has used visual hair comparison to rule out someone as a possible source of hair or in combination with more accurate DNA testing.
 

Heidi Voight Ties for First in Ballroom Dancing Competition

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NBC Connecticut traffic reporter Heidi Voight keeps you updated on traffic while you're on the move to work weekday mornings and on Saturday night she showed off her moves on the dance floor as she and dance partner Todd Russell tied for first at CRIS Radio's Dancing with the Stars competition in Hartford.

"It was a lifelong dream come true. I have always wanted to learn to dance, but growing up in a single parent family of five kids, we couldn't afford lessons or dance shoes -- we were just trying to make ends meet and keep food on the table," Voight said. "It wasn't possible in my reality then. So to have this opportunity all these years later... it's very emotional for me. My childhood dream came true, even if for just one night."

The friendly ballroom dancing competition was part of CRIS Radio's fifth annual Dining & Dancing in the Dark event at The Bond Ballroom on Asylum Street in Hartford. The event raised money for the radio station, which is Connecticut's only radio reading service for the disabled and visually-impaired.

Voight and Russell scored a perfect 10 from all the judges to tie for first place and earn the Mirror Ball trophy.

"Learning to dance was a challenge that took me outside my comfort zone. It was harder than I thought it would be, but for the same reason, even more rewarding. And every time I felt nervous or overwhelmed I would think about what those who are blind have to deal with on a daily basis, navigating a world that assumes everyone can see," Voight said. "I am friends with several veterans who lost their eyesight to IED blasts in Afghanistan and Iraq. They have had to relearn how to do everything without sight - from tiny things we take for granted like putting toothpaste on a toothbrush, to learning how to use a white cane or guide dog to be able to travel independently again. Dancing seems easy in comparison."

Voight competed against WFSB reporters Jill Konopka and Evan White, WFSB news anchor Mark Zinni, Hartford Deputy Treasurer Carmen Sierra and Marilyn Alverio, founding producer of Latinas & Power Symposium and vice president of marketing for Camelo Communication before judges Mary Ellen Fillo, the Java columnist for the Hartford Courant, Floyd Green, vice president and head of community relations and urban marketing at Aetna, Fox CT and CBS Radio Hartford chief meteorologist Joe Furey and Heather Leydon, a professional ballroom dancer and instructor, according to the event flyer. WFSB meteorologist and Better Connecticut co-host Scot Haney emceed the event.

Voight and Russell tied with Alverio.

"My partner Todd Russell (owner of Arthur Murray Vernon) was absolutely brilliant - so patient, kind and easy to learn from," Voight said. "And I discovered for myself why so many people fall in love with ballroom dance. It's a throwback to another time when men were gentle men and women were ladies. And it's an incredible stress release. There were plenty of days I would come into the dance studio carrying stress, and by the end of the lesson I'd be laughing and smiling and feeling refreshed. When you're dancing, you forget all your troubles. It forces you to be truly and completely in the present, and that something that's rare in our busy lives."

Eight to the Bar also played music and New Britain Arthur Murray studio professional ballroom dancers performed, according to the event flyer.

Guests were encouraged to wear "groovy" 1970s outfits and were asked to donate $100 to the radio station, according to the event notice. They were served a three-course dinner as they watched the dancing.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
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Forest Fire Danger High in Connecticut

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Open burning is forbidden, even with permits, on Sunday because the forest fire danger is high in Connecticut.

All open burning permits are suspended while the fire danger is high. On Saturday, forest fire danger was listed as "very high" and nearly two dozen fire departments fought a massive brush fire in Nepaug State Forest in New Hartford that afternoon.

“Residents need to know that any permit to burn brush is not valid when the Forest Fire Danger is rated high, very high, or extreme,” DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen said in a statement Saturday. “Anyone spotting a forest fire should remain calm and dial 911 to report the fire as quickly as possible to the local fire Department.”

The Division of Forestry at DEEP monitors forest fire danger "to help protect Connecticut's 1.8 million acres of forest land," DEEP said.

DEEP gives the following tips to help Connecticut residents prevent fires:

  • To make the area around your home "fire safe," clear any vegetation and debris that is flammable in a 30-foot radius around your house. 
  • Trim lower branches on evergreens near your house because that type of tree burns quickly.
  • Cut any branches that hang over your roof or chimney.
  • Clean leaves and needles from your gutters.
  • Don't store firewood in your fire safe zone.
  • Outfit your house with fire-resistant roofing materials.
  • Make your home ease for firefighters to locate and access by ensuring your home is marked clearly and clearing branches and trees along your driveway that would make it difficult for a fire truck to fit.
  • Form an escape plan and practice it.
  • Abide by state and municipal open burning laws.
  • Supervise outdoor fires until they are completely safe and extinguished.
  • Throw out wood ashes into a metal bucket and soak the ashes in water before dumping them out.

Here are some other fire safety tips when visiting Connecticut’s parks, forests, and open space:

  • Obey local open fire laws, including campfires
  • Make sure to keep flammable objects away from fire
  • Keep firefighting tools nearby.
  • Dispose of hot charcoal very carefully.
  • Pour water on fires to extinguish them when you're done.
  • Make sure to extinguish materials that are smoking cautiously. 


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Brush Fire in Burlington

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Burlington firefighters are responding to 30 Fawn Hill Road in Burlington to investigate reports of a brush fire.

No further information was immediately available.

Silver Alert Canceled for 86-Year-Old Bridgeport Man

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State police have canceled a Silver Alert for an 86-year-old man reported missing from Bridgeport.

William Godwin, 86, was reported missing over the weekend and the Silver Alert said he was last seen April 15. As of 12:30 a.m. on Monday, the Silver Alert was canceled.

No additional information was released.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Large Brush Fire Burns in Florida

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A large brush fire in West Kendall, Florida, continued to burn Monday morning.

The Florida Forest Service say 300 acres have burned since the blaze broke out Sunday afternoon. Six units are on the scene, near 162nd Avenue and Bird Road, treating the fire.

Officials say the fire is mostly contained, but the flames are pushing south.

A portion of Southwest 8th street has been shutdown due to the fire. Officials have evacuated "The Pit Bar-B-Q" located at 16400 SW 8th Street.

Officials are advising residents near the brush fire with respiratory problems to stay indoors to avoid inhaling smoke.

About 180 residents had their power removed by Florida Power & Light as a precaution.

NBC 6 viewers have been sending in photos of flames & smoke near residential homes. If you have a photo you'd like to share, please send it to isee@nbc6.com or tweet it to @NBC6.

This is a developing story, watch NBC 6 at 11 p.m. for updates, or follow @NBC6 on Twitter.


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Candle Kills Man in Wheelchair

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Texas firefighters said an elderly man who uses a wheelchair died in a fire caused by a candle during a power outage caused by Saturday's thunderstorms.

Firefighters said they think the victim's wife accidentally knocked over a candle when leaving the bedroom, trapping her husband. She tried to get to him, suffering second-degree burns in the process, before running outside to try and get help.

"I saw the lady outside, the man's husband," said neighbor Van Nguyen. "I heard her say, 'He's still inside! He's still inside!' And she was crying, crying like crazy."

Thick, choking smoke and heavy flames poured out of the unit at the Manhattan Park Townhomes on New York Avenue at about 11 p.m.

"I saw a lot of fire. Both windows, upstairs and downstairs. The back too. A lot of fire come out, very strong fire," Nguyen said.

A few neighbors rushed in to the unit to try and save the man. Since there was no power, they used the lights from their cellphones to try and see through the thick smoke. But it was too late.

One neighbor captured a few seconds of the dramatic search on his cellphone camera. You can hear the strangers crying out "Hello? Sir, are you there?" and then the wails of the victim's wife off-camera.

Firefighters said the victim's wife should survive but she suffered second-degree burns and is now recovering at the hospital.

The victim's name has not yet been released.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Cooking Fire Sparked SoCal Blaze

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Fire officials on Sunday said an unattended cooking fire sparked the Chino blaze that has charred more than 1,000 acres and triggered a smoke advisory for areas in the Inland Empire.

As of 6 p.m. Sunday, the fire had grown to 1,020 acres and was 35 percent contained, Cal Fire officials said.

Smoke was expected to travel inland on Sunday, according to NBC4 meteorologist Shanna Mendiola.

People reported smoke to emergency responders in Simi Valley that the Ventura County Fire Department determined came from the burning brush fire, about an 80-mile drive away, authorities said.

"If you are seeing or smelling smoke in the air and cannot identify an area that it is coming from it may be from the Highway Fire," a Simi Valley Police Department release said, using law enforcement's nickname for the fire.

Dry conditions from California's extreme drought, now in its fourth year, contributed to the fire's rapid spread.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for parts of the Inland Empire Saturday, saying some area may have air that's unhealthy to breathe for sensitive groups. Likely areas to experience this air include the northwest, southwest and parts of the central San Bernardino Valley and the Norco and Corona area.

The air quality would be poor for several days, as firefighters took on the fire, Mendiola said. Winds, temperatures and dry air help fuel a fire, Mendiola said, but she expected help on several of those fronts.

Calm in the morning, winds were expected to pick up Sunday evening, possibly pushing smoke toward that Coachella Valley, Mendiola said.

Cool temperatures in the mid-70s were also forecasted, and a storm was possible later in the week, according to NBC4's forecasts.

Dry air in the area would continue to provide fuel for the fire, Mendiola said, but the cool, onshore wind would bring moisture that could temper the fire's strength. Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler said added humidity in the air helped stymie the spread of the fire.



Photo Credit: InlandNews
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