The New Era - All about Sweet Home since 1929

The other day I responded to a report of a fire, the results of which you can see on page 10-11.

It wasn’t routine, and I’m not talking about the explosions that kept me and most of the onlookers well away from the roaring flames.

What was unusual was the onlookers themselves – probably one of the the largest crowds I’ve seen in covering fires for 15 years here at The New Era.

I knew something was different when I found myself edging along Elm Street at 10 mph behind a long line of cars.

When I see billowing plumes of black smoke shooting into the sky, I feel like I need to get...