Woman found dead at Lake Charleston
Corryn Brock, News Editor
March 23, 2020
A 51-year-old dead woman from Chicago was found at Lake Charleston Sunday afternoon from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Her identity is being withheld at the request of her family. Individuals from the Charleston Police Department, Charleston Fire Department, Coles County Coroner's...
CFD testing quality of fire hydrants in June
Logan Raschke, Editor-in-Chief
May 28, 2019
The Charleston Fire Department is testing the city’s fire hydrants in June, and this testing is important because it affects everyone’s insurance premiums and safety. Fire chief Steve Bennett said the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) analyzes data from fire departments i...
CFD buys 200 smoke detectors with grant
Staff Report
April 23, 2019
The Charleston Fire Department used a $3,000 fire prevention grants to purchase 200 smoke detectors. The smoke detectors, that have a 10-year sealed battery, will be available for low-income households. Fire Chief Steve Bennett said early detection is important. “Early detection of a fire...
CFD responds to attic fire Sunday
Staff Report
March 3, 2019
The Charleston Fire Department extinguished an attic fire at a residence located at 319 Madison Avenue early Sunday morning. The cause of the fire was faulty electrical wiring, according to the press release. Prior to the fire department’s arrival, the Charleston Police Department reported smoke coming from t...
CFD responds to attic fire Sunday
Staff Report
March 3, 2019
The Charleston Fire Department extinguished an attic fire at a residence located at 319 Madison Avenue early Sunday morning. The cause of the fire was faulty electrical wiring, according to the press release. Prior to the fire department’s arrival, the Charleston Police Department reported smoke coming from t...
Structure fire reported on Elm Street
Staff Report
January 31, 2018
A fire at 3:48 a.m. on 1001 Elm Street destroyed a structure Tuesday, but no injuries were reported. The resident was home at the time of the fire but was able to escape without injury. According to a press release, the Charleston Fire Department arrived on scene to find heavy smoke and fire coming...
Mock accident shows consequences of drunken driving
Loren Dickson, Entertainment Reporter
April 26, 2017
As the school year comes to an end, Charleston High School students are preparing for prom on Saturday. To remind the students and community to remain safe, the Charleston Fire Department hosted a mock drunken-driving accident Wednesday morning in the parking lot of Charleston High School. Assisting...
Fire Department to host annual open house
Mandy Grepares, Contributing Writer
October 12, 2016
The Charleston Fire Department will be giving demonstrations and showing the capabilities of firefighters at this year’s fire prevention open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Charleston fire station. Working alongside firefighters, the police K-9 unit and the Lincoln Fire Protection...
Car catches fire in school district parking lot
Analicia Haynes and Destiny Bell, Managing Editor and Copy Editor
August 26, 2016
A vehicle fire was extinguished Friday afternoon in the parking lot of Charleston Community Unit District 1 central office. The vehicle, a gray Suburban, belonged to the school district. The Charleston Fire Department said they received the fire report at 1:13 p.m. CFD Capt. James Calvert said...
Firefighters also fighting against cancer
Lynnsey Veach, Staff Reporter
October 12, 2015
October is breast cancer awareness month and while different registered student organizations are raising funds for breast cancer research, community members are doing their part as well. The Charleston Fire department will be selling t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts that benefit the health of local wo...
Semitrailer takes down cable wire on Ninth Street
Stephanie Markham, Editor-in-Chief
May 28, 2015
A semitrailer driving down Ninth Street near the intersection of Hayes Avenue hit a cable wire at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday causing it to fall and damage a passing car. Nick Fonseca, a senior communication studies major, said he was driving down Ninth Street in the opposite direction of the se...
Shed fire smokes out north side of Charleston
Jehad Abbed, News Editor
May 19, 2015
Editor's note: This story has been updated as of 5/20/15 A fire destroyed a storage shed connected to a house at the 15th Street and Adams Street intersection in Charleston Tuesday evening causing an estimated $30,000 in damage combined with a nearby structure. The Charleston Fire Department extingui...
