Worker Struck by Train on the Longfellow Bridge

MBTA Red Line service is halted between Broadway & Central stations due to a T employee on the Longfellow Bridge being struck by a train. EMS is reporting the patient is awake and alert, and is being transported to Mass General Hospital. He was reportedly struck in the arm.

Interesting Flyover Today

Checking the Mode S logs today, I saw something new. Tail #N404PA, a highly modified Boeing 707 which flew as a passenger plane for Pan Am for many years before being purchased by the Air Force. The aircraft is based at Hanscom Air Force Base, is a joint venture between the Air Force's 350th Electronic Systems Wing and M.I.T.'s Lincoln Labs. The aircraft, known as the "Paul Revere", always goes by call sign MTH4PA, and is "used to test and experiment with airborne battle management, command, control and communication technology and concepts"

Check out the plane in all it's bulgy glory in the photo below:

Motorcyclist Strikes Deer in Westford

A motorcyclist in Westford was taken by ambulance to Lowell General Hospital shortly after 9PM tonight after striking a deer while riding on S. Chelmsford Ave. The accident happened where the road intersects with Lasallette Rd. The patients injuries are non-life threatening (no word on how the deer faired).

Felon Captured in Walpole

Shortly after 8 PM, a SWAT team executed a high risk warrant at a house in the 1300 block of Washington St. and took one person wanted on felony charges into custody. Multiple police agencies participated in the operation.

Motorcycle Crash on I-95 in Amesbury

A motorcyclist was injured today in a crash on I-95 Northbound near Route 110 in Amesbury just after 7 this evening. When rescuers arrived on scene, the man was unconscious and unresponsive. Boston Medflight was requested due to his condition. An Amesbury Fire Department ambulance transported the man to Anna Jaques Hospital, where they met the Medflight helicopter. The patient was then flown to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. His current condition is unknown.

Two People Shot in Hartford, CT

Two people were reported to be shot in the early morning hours at 15 Plainfield St. According to police on scene, both persons were shot multiple times.

Person Stabbed in Southie

Boston PD report that a person was stabbed in the shoulder tonight at 178 West 7th Street. The victim was apparently stabbed during a robbery attempt, and is not cooperating with the police.

Four Year Old Shot on the corner of Talbot Ave & Blue Hill Ave

Just after 9:30 tonight, Boston Police responded to a shooting in Harambee Park at the corner of Talbot Ave and Blue Hill Ave and found a four year old child with a single gunshot wound to the back. The child was rushed to Boston Medical Center in critical condition.
Police on scene report the suspect, who is still at large, fired into a crowd of people who were outside cooking out. A second person was also hit, but has only minor injuries. Boston Police are looking for 2 black males in their late teens who fled on dirtbikes, described as wearing blue jeans and white t-shirts.

Boston.com reports the child is in stable condition.

Boston Police Officer Stops Armed Robbery in Dedham

A man who tried to rob the Tedeschi's at 77 Cedar St tonight was stopped by an off-duty Boston police officer who held the suspect at gunpoint until Dedham Police and Mass State Police arrived on scene and took the suspect into custody.
Today, Boston Police identified the officer as Detective Mike Kane.

Busy night in Dedham, as Dedham Patch reports a DPD officer was injured by a suspect with a knife at the Dedham Mall Sears.

Photo Quiz

Identify this item from my keychain:

I'll give you a hint to get you started: It isn't designed to go on keyrings, but they tend to go missing from their intended purpose and end up there. Leave your answers in the comment section below, on twitter, or on facebook. If no one gets it after a while, I'll give another hint.

Guesses so far:

Eric Szymczyk: Fire department elevator key.
OsoupieO: Sterling silver Tiffany's baby pacifier.
Malden Patch: An old drain plug.
Peter Lovasco: Key magnet picker-upper. (Actually, I kinda want one of those now!)
Jane Martin: Toilet flapper chain or very large belly button piercing. (No fair guessing twice)

So far the closest is probably Malden Patch. I promised another clue, so here you go: It's related to firefighting, and most of my good friends have them on their keyrings as well.

Still no luck. I was considering posting more clues, but I think it might have been just a bit too obscure of an item. Answer below.




Answer: It's a dust cover for an EAB (emergency air breathing) manifold, used in shipboard firefighting. In the event of a fire, or any other casualty that makes the air unbreathable, a mask can be donned. The mask has a hose attached that plugs into low pressure air piping that runs through the boat. All you need to do is find your way to the manifold, give the valve a twist to make the dust cover fall out, and plug in. To move around the ship, you take a deep breath, unplug your hose, and move quickly to the next air connection. Hopefully you've remembered where they all are, because if there's no light, or in heavy smoke, it's going to be tough to find. It's the job of the first person to reach each manifold to remove the dust covers from all four outlets, so the next people to show up can quickly plug in and receive air. They also make nifty keychains, and as such, serve as a sort of fraternal symbol. This means they have a tendency to go missing, as well. The photo below shows the whole apparatus, and you can see the dust covers hanging down. Here's a link with more info.

The guy on the left in the photo below is in the process of donning his mask. Each one comes in a bag bundled with a flash hood (to protect your ears) and some light weight firefighting gloves.

Person Stabbed on Lenox St in Boston

A person was stabbed in the area of 95 Lenox St around midnight by three black males who fled on foot into the projects. The suspect was transported to Boston Medical Center by EMS.

Military Mode S Loggings from 50 States

Figured I'd start up a log to see how long it takes me to log a hit on an Air National Guard flight from every state. I'll keep updating this as I go.

District of Columbia: Tail 02-0202, C-40C from the 201st Airlift Squadron, call sign BOXER 42
Maine: Tail 63-8872, KC-135R from the 132nd Air Refueling Squadron, call sign MAINE 86
Mississippi: Tail 02-1112, C17A from the 183rd Airlift Squadron, call sign REACH 945
New Hampshire: Tail 62-3520, KC-135R from the 133rd Air Refueling Squadron, call sign PACK 92
Ohio: Tail 58-0083, KC-135R from the 121st Air Refueling Wing, call sign REACH 084
Pennsylvania: Tail 59-1468, KC-135R from the 171st Air Refueling Wing, call sign ETHYL 96

While I'm at it, hits from each of the regular armed services:

Air Force: Tail 87-0122, KC-10A from the 305th Air Mobility Wing, call sign CLEAN 03
Coast Guard: Tail 6004, MH-60T
Navy: Tail 16-4404, E-6B from VQ-4

And foreign militaries:

Belgium: Tail CH-10, C-130H, 99th SM, call sign BAF 637
Germany: Tail 1021, A-310 from FBSBMVg, call sign GAF 596
Great Britain: Tail ZZ177, C-17A, Royal Air Force 99th Squadron, call sign RRR 6728

Person Shot in the Head at East Cottage & Sumner St.

Boston Police is on scene at East Cottage & Sumner Streets with a male victim with a gun shot wound to the head. Officer are requesting EMS step up their response.

Person Stabbed on Hanover St in Providence, RI

Police, Fire & EMS were on scene of a person stabbed multiple times on the second floor of a building at 6x Hanover St just before 8:00 PM Sunday night. The victim was taken to the hospital with what were reported to be severe injuries.

Child Struck by Car in Fall River

A child was seriously injured after being hit by a car at the intersection of Globe St & Fenner St Sunday evening. The child was rushed by EMS to Hasbro Children's Hospital. His condition is unknown.

Boston, MA: Pedestrian Hit By Motorcyclist at Columbus & Seaver

Boston Police, Fire & EMS responded to the intersection of Walnut Ave and Columbus Ave/Seaver St for person who was hit by a motorcyclist and sustained serious injuries. Paramedics transported the victim to the Boston Medical Center emergency room with severe head trauma and agonal respirations.
The suspect fled the scene on his motorcycle. Witnesses described him as an Hispanic or black male on a grey motorcycle wearing a grey helmet, white t-shirt and black shorts. He reportedly fled down Columbus Ave.

Boston, MA: Person Stabbed on Harvard St

According to the Boston Police Twitter feed and information from the police scanner, a person was stabbed multiple times near Bernard St. & Harvard St in Dorchester. The victim was transported by Boston EMS to the Boston Medical Center emergency room.

Brockton, MA: Fire on Baxendale Ave

Members of the Brockton Fire Department are working at 10 Baxendale Ave, where a fire that started in a mattress on the third floor of a 6 family home quickly spread throughout the third floor and down to the second. The bulk of the heavy fire has been knocked down, and firefighters are overhauling the affected areas.

Patient Airlifted After Bad Accident in Kingston, MA

A medical helicopter was requested and landed at the Silver Lake Regional High School to transport the victim of a car accident that occurred a block  from the school on Pembroke St. tonight. When police and fire arrived on the scene, they found a vehicle on it's roof and one person with serious injuries.

Warwick, RI: House Fire on West Shore Rd

Warwick Fire Department battled a fire in the ceiling of the house across the street from Dave's Marketplace (2687 West Shore Rd). The fire was quickly brought under control.

3 Alarm Fire in Haverhill

Firefighters are currently battling a 3 alarm blaze at a house at 65 Howard St. Companies report fire on the top floors and into the attic of a large 3 story woodframe. The house is reported to be currently occupied. Firefighters are being pushed back outside the home by extremely heavy fire conditions, and are now operating in a defensive mode.

Channel 7's helicopter is on scene, the video shows very heavy smoke coming from the house.

Body Found on Tracks at Rockport Commuter Rail Station

Rockport Police responded early this afternoon to a body on the MBTA Commuter Rail tracks at the Rockport Station and found an elderly female dead on arrival. MBTA Transit Police were called to the scene, and activated their Critical Incident Unit. One MBTA radio transmission described the body as "severed". Commuter rail trains were stopped, and passengers were transported on buses. The investigation is ongoing.

Two People Shot at 873 Blue Hill Ave

Just before 3PM, I heard the Boston EMS dispatcher advise all ambulances that the area outside of the Boston Medical Center ER was being blocked off as a crime scene, and that units should avoid.
At the same time, I heard reports from Boston PD that there had been a shooting at 873 Blue Hill Ave, and that the victims had transported themselves to BMC. Boston PD reported that Blue Hill Ave was shut down for the investigation.

Adam Gaffin at universalhub reports that two people were hit when a shooter opened fire into a vehicle, and that the homicide unit is investigating. One person has died.

Posted at 16:30, 6/20/2011

Garage Fire in Warwick

Warwick Fire responded to a garage fire at 9:45 this morning and found it well involved upon arrival. Firefighters were able to confine the fire to the garage and protect the nearby dwellings, and the fire was brought under control at around 10 AM.

Wrong Way Driver Causes Head on Collision in Milton

MSP Boston Fire, and Milton Fire are on scene on I-93 Southbound near Exit 11A with a four car head on MVA caused by a vehicle driving the wrong way down the interstate. Firefighters are using the Jaws of Life to free people trapped in the wreckage, and at least one person is seriously injured. The crash scene is being held for the photo reconstruction team to investigate.

Accident Closes MassPike in Framingham

State Police, Fire & EMS responded to an accident on I-90 Eastbound near Route 9 in Framingham tonight and found a male victim with multi-systems trauma. Boston Medflight landed on the highway to transport the patient to Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. All lanes of the highway were shut down until 11PM so the MSP could clear and investigate the wreck.
Reports indicate the male may have been a pedestrian attempting to cross the highway.

Medflight Lands in Norfolk for Victim with Multiple Gunshot Wounds

Paramedics in Norfolk, MA today responded to 283 Main St and found a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds. The victims injuries were serious, and Boston Medflight was requested to transport the victim to a hospital in Boston, and the helicopter landed at the Centennial School on Boardman St.
Photographer Matthew Gregoire was on scene and reports that Norfolk Police told him that the wounds were self inflicted during an attempted suicide.

Porch Collapse in Jamaica Plain Injures 12

Boston Fire Department and EMS responded to a porch collapse at 3 Nira Ave in Jamaica Plain (behind the VA Hospital) and found 12 people injured when the second floor porch they were standing on collapsed. Victims were triaged at the scene and transported to area hospitals. The Inspectional Services Division was requested to respond to the scene. Photos of the porches were posted to the BFD's twitter account.

Tracking Aircraft with ADS-B & Mode S

Last week, I received a package from Bulgaria containing a USB thumb drive type device, which is actually a tiny receiver for a system called Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast, or ADS-B. In short, ADS-B is the next generation of aircraft tracking.
The receiver I ordered is called a microADSB, and cost $108 including shipping. Inside the box was the USB device, a driver disc, and a small antenna with a magnetic mount. Alternative receivers would be the Kinetic Avionics SBS-1er or the Airnav Radarbox, both of which cost significantly more.
Setting up the microADSB was a simple matter of installing the drivers and plugging in the receiver. I installed the PlanePlotter software from COAA and was almost instantly viewing a real time display of a number of aircraft operating in the Boston area. Check out the PlanePlotter web site to see more of what can be done.
ADS-B is widely used in the rest of the world, but in the US it isn't used on every plane. The FAA has mandated that it be used by the year 2020. Right now, some domestic carriers are already using it, and almost all international flights use it. For commercial flights, you can view the flight number, location, and altitude in real time. Other flights, including military/government flights, transmit only positionless data...so, you can tell that they are operating in the area, but they won't give you their location. Several advanced PlanePlotter features can help give a very close approximation of the aircraft's position, though.

Here's a few examples of the military & government flights I've received so far today:

4:36 AM: Saudi Arabian Air Force Boeing 737, registration # HZ-102. 20 minutes earlier, the same plane had been picked up by another user in Grey, Maine.

9:00 AM: Massachusetts State Police helicopter Air-2, tail number N822PP, at an altitude of 425 feet.

Photo from flightaware.com

11:14 AM: Maine Air National Guard KC-135R, call sign MAINE 94, out of the 132nd Air Refueling Squadron.

1:18 PM: A J-STARS E-8C , call sign HEINZ 57, from the 116th Air Control Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard. 

All in all, a pretty neat toy. A 200+ page guide to utilizing all of the PlanePlotter features can be found here.

Fire on Union St in Randolph

Randolph FD is fighting a house fire at 32 Union St. Command is reporting a 1 1/2 story woodframe house, fire began on the 1st floor around the chimney area, and has now extended up and through the roof. Holbrook FD Engine 3 is assisting at the fire.

Update: 16:48 Special call for an additional engine to the scene to serve as the R.I.T. company.

Update: 16:58 Fire is knocked down.

Pedestrian Struck, Killed on VFW Parkway in Boston

At around 9:15 PM, Boston Fire & EMS, along with State Police, responded to a report of a person hit by a car and down in the roadway on V.F.W. Parkway on the inbound side, at Gardner St. Upon arrival they found a 17 year old male victim lying in the center of the right hand travel lane with serious injuries. Boston EMS transported the man, who had severe injuries, to the trauma center at Brigham & Women's hospital.

As of 11:00, the MSP Collision & Accident Reconstruction Team was still at the scene.

UPDATE: Per UniversalHub.com, the victim died as a result of his injuries.

MBTA Bus Crash on S. Huntington Ave

Police, Fire & EMS responded to 69 South Huntington Ave for an accident involving an MBTA bus. A Boston police officer on scene reported that it it appeared as if the bus hit at least 3 parked cars. EMS reported at least 6 patients to be treated and transported to Brigham & Women's, Beth Israel, and Children's hospitals. A Cataldo EMS ambulance was on scene assisting.

House Fire on Cataumet St

Boston Fire responded to a house fire for "the yellow house on Cataumet Street" at 11:15 this morning. Tower Ladder 10 was the fist truck on scene, and reported heavy smoke coming from the house, a 1.5 story 50'x30' single family home. Fire box 2468 was struck.
Companies went to work and discovered fire on the first floor extended to the attic, which took about 15 minutes to bring under control. The home appeared vacant. One firefighter was transported to the Brigham & Womens Hospital after feeling lightheaded, and was admitted to be evaluated overnight.

Mobile Home Burns in 2 Alarm Fire in Tewksbury

A mobile home at 43 Ipswich Ave caught fire at 10:45 PM. When TFD responded, a 2nd alarm was immediately requested due to heavy fire conditions. The occupants are reported to have escaped.

Working Fire in Concord, MA

Concord Fire Department responded to a fire at 40 Beharrell St shortly after 11:00 PM, and reported fire in the "C" side of a 100'x100' commercial building.

6 Alarm Fire in Fitchburg

In progress now: 3rd alarm transmitted on arrival for heavy fire in a commercial building at 520 Main St. OIC requesting an additional ladder & tower ladder above the 3rd alarm. Heavy fire in the cockloft. Listen to the fire live here.

21:45 4th alarm transmitted. Fire is in a 5 story brick structure, floor 1 is commercial, with apartments above.

21:53 All firefighters ordered out of the building, evac tones sounded. FD employing master streams.

22:02 Off duty firefighters being recalled. Additional Tower Ladder being requested from Gardner FD.

22:04 Per MEMA State Control, fire is now at a 6th alarm.

As of midnight, firefighters still had fire in the building. Defensive operations were being conducted, with as many as 6 master streams in use. Operations will likely continue throughout the night.

Box Truck Rollover in Peabody

Massachusetts State Police responded to a box truck rollover on the ramp from Route 128 North to I-95 North shortly after 9 AM. The box truck had rolled over and struck a bridge column. The driver of the truck was reported to be trapped inside, and Peabody Fire Department and EMS were called to the scene.

EMS evaluated the driver and reported severe lower leg injuries as well as a flailing chest wound. Boston Medflight was requested to the scene, but were unavailable due to the weather. Jaws of Life were used to free the driver, who was rescued from the vehicle just before 9:45. He was transported by EMS to Mass General Hospital in Boston.

A representative from the Peabody Board of Health also responded due to the truck carrying food.

Mass Highway also responded to set up arrow boards to help with traffic.

This is the same location as the ink truck crash in March.

Person shot on Geneva Ave in Boston

Boston Police responded to a call for a shooting 272 Geneva Ave. just after 8:40PM. A shotspotter activation occurred at the same time. Upon arrival, they found one victim with a single gunshot wound to the chest. EMS transported the victim to the Boston Medical Center.

The suspect, described as a black male, 5'10, unknown weight, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and gray jeans, approached the victim, asked him about his hat, and shot him. The suspect fled the scene. Officers are searching the area.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Boston Police Crimestoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS.

Boston Officer Shoots Suspect on Washington St.

At approximately 7:45PM, a Boston Police Officer shot a suspect he had been involved in a foot chase with at 1850 Washington St. Numerous district officers responded to assist in securing the scene. The suspect was transported to Boston Medical Center with a non-life threatening wound to the shoulder. The BPD officer received medical attention for possible stress.

Boston Police are investigating the incident, and have closed Washington St between Mass Ave and Melnea Cass Blvd. The BPD Red Team, Crime Scene Unit, and Lighting Trucks responded. A command center has been established and the investigation will likely go on throughout the night.

Circumstances leading to the shooting are unknown at this time.

Per UniversalHub, the officer's weapon discharged as he fought with the suspect.

All information is gathered from the police scanner. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Shooting on Windham Ave in Boston

Boston PD responded to a shots fired call at 135 Windham Rd in Hyde Park and located one victim with a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was rushed by EMS to the hospital, and the injuries are considered serious. BPD supervisor on scene requested full notifications, indicating the injuries may be life threatening.

Witnesses report that the suspects, three black males, fled the scene in a black Chevy HHR. The car is reportedly a stolen rental car with unknown Connecticut plates and heavy damage to the driver's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was reported stolen in the city of Newton several days ago.

UPDATE (16:36): Newton PD reports the alleged renter of the car has not reported any vehicles, including this one, stolen.

UPDATE: (17:11): Boston PD reporting vehicle has CT plate, # 575YDO. All occupants are believed to be armed and dangerous. Vehicle was reportedly seen by Randolph PD in their city earlier this morning.

UPDATE: (17:40) MSP search K9 en route to the scene to assist.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Boston Police Crimestoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS.

State Police Chopper Makes Urgent Landing in Wakefield

A Massachusetts State Police helicopter was forced to land in Wakefield today after warning light came on in the cockpit.

The helicopter, designated "Air 4", made a precautionary landing at the baseball diamond at Nasella Park off Route 129 at around 10:45 this morning. Multiple SP cruisers responded to assist and to secure the scene, as well as a Wakefield fire engine. No injuries were reported on the helicopter or on the ground.

Minutes before the landing, Air 4 had communicated with the Logan Airport tower that they were inbound to the Revere Beach area.

The helicopter will remain in the ballfield, awaiting a maintenance crew.

Home Invasion on Humphreys St

At around 11 PM, Boston PD responded to a call for an armed home invasion on Humphreys St. Upon arrival, EMS was summoned for the occupants, who had been pistol-whipped by the suspects.

The suspects, described as 2 black males in their 40's, fled towards Dudley St. in a newer model silver Mercedes Benz. A car matching the description was stopped by police on Blue Hill Ave a short time later, but it is unknown if this was related.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Boston Police Crimestoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS.