Chevy Suburban fully involved car fire showing arrival of Gary Fire Department, and a head-on crash involving a gaper with moderate damage at 5:05 elapsed time.

A fully involved vehicle fire in a large SUV occurred at 20th and Chase in Gary, Indiana (date unknown possibly September 2009). While firefighters were wrapping up, a head-on collision at moderate speeds occurred down the street (you can hear the crash at 5:05 elapsed time). No injuries at either incident.

Many people worry about huge car explosions, such as they see on television or movies, but the biggest risk at a car fire is probably getting hit by another vehicle in a second incident caused by human error of drivers distracted by the first incident. Another risk of car fires is getting hit by an exploding air bag canister. Air bags usually detonate during fully involved vehicle fires. The canister can go airborne like a missile and fly out the back window of the vehicle — landing up to about 50 feet directly behind the rear of a vehicle. The canister is sharp and made of metal, so impact with the human body could cause serious injury or death. Notice the videographer doesn’t stand directly behind the SUV. Firefighters face other hazards in newer vehicles — namely hybrids energized by electricity.

Video is by Edward Malik, a photographer and videographer from the south Chicago suburbs and Gary, Indiana area.

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Arlington Heights Fire Department responded to a transformer that blew in the 700 block of East Rand Road about 5:15 a.m. Saturday. Power out in the area near Rand and Palatine Road and east of that intersection. Com Ed is responded about 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Video of firefighter operations on Dundee Road median. Kodak EasyShare V1253* video clip courtesy of Oleg Botnivk at Quality Car Center & Car Wash (The red Porsche 944 was not serviced at Quality Car).

Buffalo Grove firefighters responded to a fully-involved engine fire in a Porsche 944 about 12:15 p.m. Thursday on Dundee Road, just west of Buffalo Grove Road.

Buffalo Grove firefighters knocked down the fire in minutes, but drivers approaching the scene saw thick black smoke coming from a red Porsche 944 in the center lane prior to the arrival of Buffalo Grove Fire Department.

The car was burning in the center lane of Dundee Road in front of Quality Car Center & Car Wash and Taco Bell. The car was NOT being serviced at Quality Car. The Porsche was eastbound on Dundee Road when it caught fire. Numerous people reported the fire and at least one person caught the car fire on video.

Apparently, a problem with a leaking fuel line under the car caused ignition of fuel and a subsequent well-involved fire, mostly limited to the engine compartment. The car had been in storage in a shop where it was being worked on by the owner … and was just being driven home.

No injuries were reported.

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*The Kodak EasyShare V1253 took a good picture with excellent focus. The on-the-spot camera-to-camera dub on location caused a loss of focus.

Norwalk California: A 7-year-old boy talks to a 911 dispatcher in Los Angeles County as armed men break into his family’s home. The boy locked himself and a sister in a bathroom. The men broke into the bathroom and fled when the boy said he called police.

Carlos, 7, and his six-year-old sister were hiding in a locked bathroom when Carlos called 9-1-1. The three offenders fled when they learned that the 9-1-1 call had already been placed. Carlos had already given the 9-1-1 operator detailed information about the home invasion. “Bring some cops … and ambulance … and all of them … and bring soldier, too (elapsed time 0:41)”

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Fire in the 4800 block of South Paulina starts out looking as a routine fire. But notice the increasingly dark smoke early in the video (at :45) that becomes lighter again (at about 1:20). At about 3:00 minutes and later the smoke over the front door (to the right of the ladder) is possibly pulsating.

Less than a minute after a firefighter ventilates a top story window (3:46 elapsed time), a large backdraft engulfs the house (4:12 elapsed time). Four firefighters suffered facial burns. One of the firefighters spent more than a week at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Three of the injured firefighters were standing near the front door. The rush of flames blew out the front door. The fourth injured firefighter was hit by flames while he was on a ladder. The biggest risk of harmful or fatal injury is when a person inhales the hot air. An injured airway can swell and block air to the lungs.

Read more from The Cardinal …

An off-duty Arlington Heights Fire Department lieutenant came to the aid of people involved in a two-vehicle crash in the intersection of Rand Road and Euclid Avenue about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. A silver Mitsubishi Galant and a green Nissan Pathfinder collided in the intersection. The off-duty fire lieutenant asked victims on the corner if they were O.K. as he headed toward the person that was trapped in the Pathfinder. A witness of the accident near the Mobil station called 9-1-1. He heard that the man trapped in the Pathfinder may have had a broken leg. The man was transported to the hospital by Mount Prospect Fire Department firefighter/paramedics. He was freed from the vehicle by 12:55 p.m. The rescue-ambulance remained at the scene for a short time for patient assessment and stabilization prior to transportation. No other people were transported to the hospital.

Heavy traffic delays occurred at Rand and Euclid in all directions. A large amount of automotive fluids were spilled onto the intersection. Hillside towing was working to absorb the fluids at least until 1:30 p.m. Arlington Heights police had extra manpower at the scene for traffic management. Mount Prospect police officers were also committed to traffic managemet

Video developing …