IN Stage Collapse Kills 4

At least four people were confirmed dead and 40 injured in a stage collapse just before a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair. A sever thunderstorm warning issued 16 minutes before an estimated 70 mph wind gust caused stage to collapse.

View another view of the collapse HERE.

IN Meth Lab Explosion Injures Firefighter, Badly Burns Man

From the Evansville Courier & Post:

A woman was arrested, her residence deemed a total loss, a firefighter was injured and another man may not survive severe burns following a meth lab explosion late Wednesday, Evansville police said.

...

Daniel Phillips was flown to a nearby burn center after 51 percent of his body sustained chemical burns. Hospital officials haven't determined if he will survive because his burns are so severe, according to an Evansville Police Department affidavit.

Evansville firefighter Mark Dietsch was hospitalized with a knee injury after falling through a roof, according to the affidavit.

Read more HERE.

For a free training simulation on responding to meth labs, CLICK HERE. For a training program on firefighter meth lab response (including free videos and PowerPoint), CLICK HERE.

Indianapolis (IN) Firefighters Cope with Fire and Rain

A heavy rain caused fires and floods in Indianapolis. Details from indystar.com:

The fast, heavy downpour flooded streets and kept emergency workers busy.

The Indianapolis Fire Department received 205 calls and went on 95 runs between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Twenty of the calls were for water rescues, mostly submerged cars, and 16 were for fires reported by residents who, in most cases, believed lightning struck their houses.

Capt. Rita Burris said no rescues had to be made of people in cars and none of the home were on fire.

But she said residents who think their home is hit by lightning should call 911 and evacuate immediately.

Read more and see photos HERE.

IN Firefighter Seriously Injured During Training Exercise

A Salem, Indiana firefighter suffered a severe head injury during a training exercise on Saturday. The firefighter remained in intensive care unit at a local hospital throughout the day on Sunday. The firefighter's name has not been released according to reports from Fox41.com.

Fire department officials confirmed that more information would be released in the coming days and according to the report, that it has been "an extremely difficult time" for the department.

Read more information about the incident and see video coverage HERE

Off-Duty IN Firefighter Saves Dog from Fire

From WLFI.com, a report from Monticell, Indiana:

The Seabolt family said the house fire could have been worse, but fortunately an off-duty firefighter in a nearby fishing boat saw the flames begin to spread.

"I went up to the residence and asked the homeowner if anyone was still inside. He said 'Yes,'" said Monticello Firefighter Brooks Ingle, who was first on the scene.

Ingle called 911 for assistance, then went in the house for the first time. That first trip he didn't find anyone, but when homeowner Diana Mead-Seabolt went back inside he followed behind. The second time he went in he saved the family dog.

The youngest members of the Seabolt family spotted the fire first. They went back inside to tell the others and their quick thinking mother showed the family out the back stairs.

Read the account of the entire incident HERE.

Woman Dies, Son Critical Following Rash of Indianapolis (IN) Arsons

From wthr.com:

In all, Indianapolis firefighters battled ten overnight blazes. One turned out to be fatal, and a man is in critical condition at Wishard Hospital.

Flames ripped through a home on the 1100 block of State Avenue home at around 6:00 am, sending the family into panic and killing Anna Richards. The 63-year-old woman tried her best to warn the three other adults in the house.

"I could not even smell anything, you know what I am saying? So I told her she was crazy and go back to sleep and just a few seconds later the windows started popping," said Gary Allen, fire victim, speaking tearfully.

"We tried to get my mom out and we can't find her. I tried to get my brother out of bed and we can't lift him up and he caught on fire," said Mary Whitlock, Richards' daughter.

Whitlock told firefighters where her relatives were located, and firefighters went in and rescued Whitlock's 47-year-old quadriplegic brother Jerry Richards. Paramedics took him to the hospital in critical condition. Both Jerry and Anna Richards required CPR at the fire scene.

Firefighters had been to the home before on EMS runs and knew the layout of the home, which aided in the quick location of the victims

Read more and see video HERE.