Wildfire erupts near Clayton in California, spreads to 125 acres; evacuation warnings issued: Details



A wildfire called the ‘Morgan Fire’ broke out near Clayton in California's Contra Costa County on Friday, rapidly spreading to about 125 acres. Officials issued evacuation warnings for nearby areas as firefighters, aided by helicopters, worked to contain the blaze.File image of a wildfire(AFP)A wildfire broke out on Friday afternoon near Clayton in California's Contra Costa County, sending a plume of smoke visible from the Mount Diablo area. According to Watch Duty, the blaze started near the intersection of Morgan Territory Road and Marsh Creek Road in Clayton.The fire is burning roughly 25 miles southwest of the more densely populated Mount Diablo region. According to media reports, many residents in the Mount Diablo area reported seeing smoke from the fire due to strong winds.Here's what we know:At the time of publication, the fire had spread to about 125 acres, with dozens of fire engines responding to the blaze, according to Watch Duty.According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the fire started roughly around 2 pm (local time) near the 2430 block of Morgan Territory Road at Marsh Creek Road. The blaze initially burned nearly two acres before racing uphill through brush and timber on steep slopes.At around 4:40 pm, officials issued an evacuation warning for residents in Zones CCC-249 and CCC-250, located between Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Mount Diablo State Park. While no evacuation order had been issued as of Friday afternoon, officials warned residents to be prepared in case of worsening conditions.The fire district, in its emergency alert, said, "Gather any important items you could carry with you, including medications, baby supplies, money, important papers, and photos," and added, "Locate any pets or animals and be prepared to cage or leash them. If you require additional time to evacuate, you should leave now."As fire activity intensified, Air Attack requested additional aircraft to aid crews on the ground. The response grew to include eight Type 1 air tankers and four helicopters, according to incident reports.Due to the wildfire's proximity to the Morgan Territory Road, the Contra Costa County Fire Department called it "Morgan Fire."Clayton, which is located in the east-central part of Contra Costa County, is situated at the eastern base of Mount Diablo. The fire broke out just off the Mount Diablo Mine, west of the Oak Hills Trail and the Morgan Territory Road. Reports suggest that since the location is a sparsely populated mountain area in Northern California, there was no immediate danger reported to structures or habitation.Several locals shared photos and videos of the wildfire on social media, and a thick cloud of dense, black smoke was seen in the Mount Diablo area. Fire department helicopters were also deployed to assist crews battling the fast-moving blaze from the air. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no injuries have been reported so far.A video shared by KTVU, a local FOX affiliate, showed smoke and a fire department helicopter circling the area as crews worked to contain the blaze.Mount Diablo has no permanent residents because it is a protected state park. However, there is a local community of roughly 1,000 people in the nearby Diablo.Residents in the affected area were advised to stay alert and monitor official emergency notifications, asking them to be prepared to leave immediately if an evacuation order was issued.Get Latest real-time updatesStay updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news. HomeNewsUs NewsWildfire erupts near Clayton in California, spreads to 125 acres; evacuation warnings issued: DetailsMore

US Senator Lindsey Graham likely died after suffering an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings released by the District of Columbia's Medical Examiner, AP reported.The findings provide the first official indication of what caused the sudden death of the 71-year-old South Carolina Republican, whose office had earlier said only that he died following a "brief and sudden illness."Hours after announcing Graham's death, the senator's office released a follow-up statement citing the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia's preliminary findings.Quick answers to key questions•5 QUESTIONSLindsey Graham's death was likely caused by an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings from the District of Columbia's Medical Examiner.Emergency responders were dispatched to Lindsey Graham's residence after a report of chest pain, where they performed CPR on him due to an apparent cardiac arrest.Just before his death, Lindsey Graham spoke to President Donald Trump, discussing his recent trip to Ukraine and legislative priorities, appearing energetic despite feeling tired.Lindsey Graham was influential due to his strong advocacy for U.S. military intervention, robust national defense policies, and his close political relationship with President Trump, particularly on foreign policy matters.With Lindsey Graham's passing, South Carolina's Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement, and a special Republican primary must be held to choose a new nominee for the upcoming election.According to the statement as per the news report, Graham died of aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Graham's office first announced his death in a statement posted on social media early Sunday.His family said they appreciated "prayers at this time" and requested privacy during what they described as an "incredibly difficult period."The initial statement did not disclose the cause of death or provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death.Emergency responders performed CPREarlier reports indicated that emergency responders were dispatched to Graham's Capitol Hill residence after receiving a report of chest pain.According to emergency dispatch audio reviewed by USA TODAY, responders later performed CPR on a man suffering an apparent cardiac arrest after police helped them gain access to the home.Authorities had not initially released an official cause of death, prompting widespread speculation.Emergency call reported chest painAccording to the dispatch audio, emergency personnel were sent to Graham's Capitol Hill residence at around 8:30 p.m. ET after receiving a report that someone inside the home was experiencing chest pain.The dispatcher told responders that the caller, an unidentified woman travelling from Baltimore, believed the home's front door was unlocked.However, first responders reported the residence was secured with a deadbolt and that no one answered after repeated knocks.Police called to help responders enter homeUnable to gain entry, emergency personnel requested assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department to access the residence.Just after 8:50 p.m. ET, responders radioed that CPR was underway on a man suffering from what appeared to be cardiac arrest.Neither dispatchers nor emergency personnel identified Graham by name during the exchange. At one point, a responder referred to the patient as a 73-year-old man, although Graham was 71, USA TODAY stated.Trump recalls final conversationUS President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Graham shortly before emergency services were dispatched to the senator's home.Speaking about their final conversation with CNN, Trump said Graham had recently returned from Ukraine and was discussing legislative priorities."He just got back from Ukraine and he had a great trip. He was telling me about the trip. He was pushing ver

Rail services on the busy Mumbai-Pune corridor will remain disrupted until July 17 after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section damaged railway tracks, prompting the Central Railway to cancel 30 long-distance and intercity train services.According to railway officials, heavy rainfall on July 6 triggered multiple landslides between Karjat and Lonavala stations, damaging all three railway lines. The worst-affected areas are near the Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill cabins in the ghat section.Officials said restoration work is being carried out on a war footing. However, the challenging terrain and unsafe working conditions have slowed efforts to restore normal train operations.In a statement, the Central Railway said the cancellations include 14 daily trains, eight services on specified dates and eight special trains.The affected daily services include the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Intercity Express trains between Mumbai and Pune, the CSMT-Hyderabad Express, Chennai Egmore Superfast Mail and the Hubbali-Dadar Express. These trains will remain cancelled from July 10 to July 17.Apart from this, trains such as the Mahalaxmi Express, Jodhpur-Hadapsar Express, Dadar-Satara Express and Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express have been cancelled on specified dates during the period.Several special trains connecting Mumbai and Pune with Gorakhpur, Ghazipur City and Hazrat Nizamuddin have also been cancelled, the release stated.MSRTC adds 200 extra bus tripsMeanwhile, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Friday said Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will operate 200 additional bus trips daily on the Mumbai-Pune route from Saturday to ease passenger inconvenience due to the train cancellations.Sarnaik said MSRTC will operate the additional services alongside its scheduled 312 e-Shivneri bus trips between Mumbai and Pune.A release said MSRTC depots and regional offices have been directed to operate more buses, if required, depending on passenger demand, to ensure commuters do not face inconvenience."MSRTC has always stood by people during times of crisis. The corporation is fully geared up to ensure uninterrupted travel for passengers affected by the disruption in railway services," the minister said.Passenger safety, convenience and timely services remain our top priority, and additional buses will be deployed wherever necessary, he added.The additional bus services are expected to provide relief to thousands of passengers travelling between Mumbai and Pune until normal railway operations resume, officials said.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday reviewed the restoration work and noted that the landslides were "heavy" and had caused "significant" damage to the railway lines and the surrounding area.The Mumbai-Pune route has three tracks in the difficult Bhor Ghat section or Khandala Ghat - the Up Line (towards Mumbai), the Down Line (towards Pune), and a Middle Line.According to officials, transporting construction material to some locations remains a challenge, and railway teams are coordinating with the district administration and the forest department to restore the lines at the earliest.Railways issue passenger advisoryOne of the three railway lines has been restored, and work is underway on the other two, they said."Senior officers at the site are closely monitoring the restoration work, and all efforts are being made to normalise train services at the earliest," the release stated.Passengers have been advised to contact the railway helpline or check the NTES app for information. Regular updates are also being shared through the railway's official social media platforms, it added.(With inputs from news agency PTI)About the AuthorLivemintFor about a decade, Livemint—News Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups
While officials had not immediately released casualty figures, media reports indicated that multiple people may have been injured in the collision.Picture for representation. The incident occurred on a railway line south of Bedford, prompting a large-scale deployment of ambulance, fire and police personnel.British emergency services launched a major response on Friday (June 19) after reports of a collision involving two trains approximately 60 miles north of London, with local media reporting multiple injuries.The incident occurred on a railway line south of Bedford, prompting a large-scale deployment of ambulance, fire and police personnel.Emergency response underwayThe British Transport Police (BTP) said it was responding to reports of a train collision and was working with other emergency services at the scene.The East of England Ambulance Service described the situation as a "major incident" and confirmed that multiple resources had been dispatched, including an air ambulance.Authorities urged members of the public to avoid the area to allow emergency crews to carry out their work safely.Fire crews deployedThe Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said its crews were attending an incident on the railway line just south of Bedford.The service also asked residents and motorists to stay away from the affected area while emergency operations continued.Rail services disruptedRail operator Thameslink said all lines between Luton and Bedford had been blocked due to what it described as a problem currently under investigation.The disruption is expected to affect train services on one of the key commuter routes connecting Bedfordshire with London.Reports of injuriesWhile officials had not immediately released casualty figures, media reports indicated that multiple people may have been injured in the collision.Emergency services have not yet confirmed the number or severity of injuries.Investigation launchedAuthorities have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. No details have yet been released about how the reported collision occurred or the number of trains involved.Further updates are expected as emergency responders continue operations and railway officials assess the impact on services.Stay updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news. HomeNewsWorldTrain collision near Bedford, London; emergency services respond, multiple injuries reportedMore
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