Published: Wednesday, October 01, 2008
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - One woman is confirmed dead and three people injured in an eight-vehicle accident that left a scene of carnage across a large swath of the White Horse Pike on Tuesday afternoon.
The accident, which police said happened at about 4:25 p.m., took place directly in front of Al's Custard Stand at Route 30 and Frankfurt Avenue. What appeared to be a gray Jeep was nearly obliterated, with parts scattered across all four lanes and a side mirror thrown all the way into the Al's parking lot. A red pickup truck was flipped upside down just to the west of the Jeep, and beyond that was a minivan that had crashed into a pole.
By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer, 609-272-7201
Hamilton Township is one of a growing number of local municipalities studying whether to merge all of its volunteer fire departments into one entity.
It's something that some municipalities in several southern New Jersey counties already have done in an effort to bring more uniformity - such as in the type of firefighting equipment purchased - and cost effectiveness to fire department operations.
Members of the Absecon Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 earned $1,626 for the department Thursday by working the counter and the drive-thru at the newly opened McDonald's. Twenty percent of general sales and 40 percent of Spicy Chicken sandwich sales were donated to the department. The workers are pictured with, holding the check, Ronald McDonald, Karan Traa, an owner of area restaurants, and Robert 'Butch' Stewart, the fire chief.
TRENTON - A report from the state Commission of Investigation says that the purchase of firetrucks, some of the most expensive items municipal governments own, can easily overwhelm a small town's ability to ensure proper accountability and transparency.
"In many instances, the competitive procurement process that is required by law is reduced to a sham in which the public's business is ruled by private interests," the commission wrote.
Hammonton: Police are looking for witnesses to an alleged hit-and-run accident that critically injured three Burlington County women early Sunday morning.
Their car veered off the right shoulder at about 5 a.m. as they traveled north on Route 206, just before Chew Road in Wharton State Forest, police said. Two of the victims told police their car was tapped from behind by another northbound vehicle, which did not stop when their car crashed into a utility pole and overturned. Sonnie Koenig-Byepu, 40, of Willingboro, Burlington County, was ejected from the car. She is in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Wilma Ward, 40, of Willingboro, who was driving, was listed in stable condition Tuesday afternoon at Cooper. Larwuo Kaine, 44, of Edgewater Park, Burlington County, was in good condition at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.
Police said all three women were initially in critical condition after they were airlifted to their hospitals. Ward and Kaine were conscious and were interviewed by police; Koenig-Byepu was unconscious. The women were returning home from Atlantic City, police said.
No description of the second vehicle has been obtained. Police ask anyone with information about the accident to call Sgt. Sam Mavilla or Officer Rich Jones at 609-561-4000.
PLEASANTVILLE - "We can't just go to someone's house and say, 'Hey, can we break down your door?'" Fire Capt. Steve Wilkins said Tuesday.
But thanks to buildings set for demolition on city-owned property, firefighters are getting training using real homes.
De QUEEN, Ark. Firefighters were right on top of this blaze.
The De Queen fire station is closed on weekends, so when a call is received the firefighters go to the station to get their gear before heading out.
