NC4 highlights incidents from over 1000 reported each month.
The following featured incidents provide an overview of the incident, linked to a one-page printable summary. Featured incidents demonstrate NC4 coverage and timeliness.
November 29, 2007
A Turkish plane with fifty-seven people on-board crashed just outside of Keciborlu, Turkey on November 29th at 23:36 GMT. The AtlasJet plane, which took off from Istanbul disappeared from radar just after the pilot received permission to land at its destination, Suleyman Demirel Airport in Isparta. The wreckage of the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft was found after a brief search by rescue teams in a mountainous region approximately eight miles from Isparta. There were no survivors among the fifty passengers and seven crew members. All were Turkish citizens.
November 7, 2007
The Cosco Busan, a South Korean container ship, collided into the San Francisco Bay Bridge on November 7th, 2007 spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into the bay. The collision caused a 160-foot long tear into the left side of the ship about ten feet above the water line. Oil was reported to be seen washing up on nearby shores and, consequently, forced the closure of twenty-five beaches in San Francisco and Marin County. The oil spill was the largest in the San Francisco Bay area in over a decade.
October 20, 2007
Beginning October 20, 2007, a series of 23 wildfires ignited across southern California destroying 1,500 homes, burning over 500,000 acres and killing at least seven people. Although the rapid spread of these wildfires was accelerated by drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, officials have attributed arson to at least one of the fires. The investigation into the exact cause of the fires is ongoing.
October 18, 2007
On Wednesday, 17 October, NC4 issued a Public Safety Advisory warning to clients that the likelihood of a terrorist attack during Benazir Bhutto’s return to Karachi on 18 October had increased significantly due to threats from at least three separate terrorist organizations. Bhutto, the self-exiled former Prime Minster of Pakistan arrived at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on 18 October despite the threats. NC4 advised clients to stay away from large demonstrations due to the potential for violence.
September 12-15, 2007
On September 13, 2007, Hurricane Humberto made landfall as a category one storm about 60 miles southeast of Houston, Texas. The storm intensified more rapidly within its first 18 hours of making landfall than any other tropical storm. NC4’s coverage of Hurricane Humberto began as it formed in the Gulf of Mexico and ended when it dissipated over Georgia.
August 13-23, 2007
NC4’s coverage of Hurricane Dean began about 350 miles east of Bridgetown in Barbados and spanned west across the Caribbean past Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and to its landfall in Mexico on 21 August.
August 1, 2007
At 6:05 pm (CST) on August 1st, 2007 an eight-lane section of I-35W that crosses over the Mississippi river collapsed, falling into the river and onto its banks. Over fifty vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse; however, only a small number of those vehicles submerged in the river. In total, thirteen people were killed and over 100 others were injured. The exact cause of the collapse is unknown but officials with the Department of Homeland Security have found no indication of terrorist involvement. The bridge, built in 1967, was deemed “structurally deficient” in a 2005 report released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The National Transportation Safety Board has since launched an investigation into the collapse.
July 18, 2007
At approximately 6:00pm, on July 18, 2007, a twenty-four inch steam pipe, installed in 1924 by Consolidated Edison, exploded on Lexington Avenue between E 41st St. and E 42nd St., in New York City. The explosion created a geyser of steam taller than the nearby Chrysler Building, and left a crater thirty-five feet wide and fifteen feet deep, swallowing a tow-truck. There was one fatality, and forty-five other people that were reported injured. The explosion crippled transportation in the vicinity. Grand Central Terminal, a major subway/train transfer station was shut down; MTA buses, the 42nd St. Shuttle, taxis, and traffic were all re-routed from the area as well.
June 29 - July 1, 2007
Various terrorist plots in the United Kingdom led the government to increase the state of alert to the highest level possible, critical, on June 30, 2007. The first incident occurred on Friday, June 29th when two car bombs were found in separate locations in central London, within a mile of each other. Both cars contained large quantities of gasoline, petrol tanks, nails, and cell phone detonators. The first car was found on Haymarket, just blocks from Piccadilly Circus, and the other at Hyde Park Corner, near Buckingham Palace. Had the bombs exploded, they would have resulted in mass casualties.
April 16, 2007
A lone gunman on the campus of Virginia Tech shot and killed 32 students and teachers, making it the deadliest shooting in U.S. history. At 7:15 am EDT, police responded to a shooting incident involving two persons at West Ambler Johnson dorm. Approximately two hours later, police received word of a second shooting incident across campus in Norris Hall, where the gunman chained the three main entrances closed and proceeded to kill thirty-two students and teachers.
February 2, 2007
A series of powerful tornadoes devastated regions of Central Florida in the early morning hours of February 2. At least three tornadoes touched down in Lake, Volusia, Sumter, Marion and Seminole counties. The worst hit area was in Lake County where two EF3 tornadoes with wind speeds of up to 160 mph touched down near the cities of Lady Lake and Paisley.
January 31, 2007
Ten suspicious devices were located throughout the Greater Boston area, causing a large security response in the morning and afternoon hours of January 31st. The first device was found on a highway support beam near the Sullivan Square Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority station, which led to the shutdown of northbound I-93 lanes. The bomb squad investigated the device and destroyed it. Later in the afternoon, several other similar looking devices were located throughout Boston.
January 16, 2007
In the morning hours of January 16, fourteen CSX train cars derailed in Sheperdsville, about 15 miles south of Louisville, Kentucky, causing an explosion and heavy fire. Officials evacuated the immediate surrounding area due to concerns over the thick black and toxic smoke from the resulting blaze. Residents were also advised to shelter-in-place due to the hazmat fears.
January 15-19, 2007
Severe storm Kyrill formed over Newfoundland on January 15th and swept across Western Europe, making landfall in Great Britain on January 17th and over Germany and the Netherlands on January 18th. Hurricane-force winds of up to 225 km/h caused extensive damage, power outages and disruption to transportation systems.
December 14, 2006
A severe storm on the 14th of December killed four people and knocked out power to over a million people in the Pacific Northwest. Wind speeds of up to 90 mph knocked down trees and power lines. The high winds also temporarily closed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and many floating bridges like the Evergreen Point Bridge. Amtrak canceled the Cascades Service between Seattle and Portland and 100 flights were canceled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Residents of Mercer Island in Washington were told to remain at home due to hazardous traveling conditions.
December 8, 2006
Three people were shot and killed by a gunman in the Citigroup Center office building on the afternoon of December 8. The gunman, 59 year old Joe Jackson, entered the building armed with a revolver and knife and forced a guard to take him to the 38th floor law offices of Wood Philips. Once there, Jackson shot and killed three others before a SWAT team sniper shot and killed him.
November 22, 2006
Just before 3am on November 22, 2006, a pair of explosions sent a ball of flames into the air and ignited a 10-alarm fire at a solvent and ink manufacturing plant. The fire and explosion leveled the chemical plant and damaged more than 90 nearby buildings and the blast was described to have the force of a 2,000 pound bomb. Firefighters from over 30 surrounding cities responded to the scene.
October 11, 2006
A small fixed-wing aircraft crashed into the 30th floor of a 42-story residential high-rise on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on the afternoon of October 11th. Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying low and erratically before slamming into the building. Debris and the flaming wreckage of the plane rained down on the street below. The building was partially evacuated and streets were closed in the area. Two fatalities were found on the ground and eleven firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the resulting 4-alarm high-rise fire.
October 5, 2006
A fire at the Environmental Quality Industrial Services plant in Apex, North Carolina, caused the evacuation of over 17,000 people on October 5th. Officials issued the evacuation order due to fears of toxic smoke fed by industrial waste ranging from paints to solvents, and stores chemicals including chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, sulfur, and fertilizer. Thick black smoke and a yellow gas cloud were seen as well as numerous explosions. Forty-four people were treated at nearby hospitals for breathing difficulties. Downtown Apex and several schools in the area were closed during the incident.
September 19, 2006
On September 19th, segments of the Royal Thai Army, led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, staged a bloodless coup d’etat in Bangkok and other cities in Thailand. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had been embroiled in a political crisis and accused of using his position for personal profit, was in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. Thai military units surrounded government facilities with tanks and armored personnel carriers and commandeered television stations to play patriotic songs lauding King Bhumibol Adulyadej. PM Thaksin declared a state of emergency as an attempt to avert the coup, but was unsuccessful.
September 13, 2006
Nineteen people were injured and one was killed after a shooter opened fire at Dawson College in Montreal on September 13th. The suspect, Kimveer Gill, was dressed in a trench coat and armed with a semi-automatic carbine, a handgun, and a shotgun and began shooting at bystanders randomly outside the college. He took one person hostage and forced him to carry a bag with weapons and ammunition. Entering the college, Gill ordered students to the ground and made his way to the cafeteria while continuing to shoot. He was confronted by two police officers who wounded him in the arm. He eventually committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His body was dragged outside and covered with a tarp while police evacuated the school to search for more shooters.
August 9, 2006
British law enforcement officials arrested 24 people on August 9, 2006 who were suspected of plotting to bomb and destroy up to 10 transatlantic flights from the United Kingdom to the United States. The key suspects were reportedly British-born Muslims and allegedly planned to smuggle peroxide-based liquid explosives in carry-on luggage and detonate them in mid-flight. The potential explosives are thought to be possibly triacetone triperoxide (TATP) or hexamethylene diamine (HTMD) based and were to be hidden in the false bottoms of sports drinks. As of September 6th, 17 suspects have been charged with various terrorism offenses.
July 17, 2006
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Java, Indonesia on the evening of July 17. The earthquake generated a three meter high tsunami that hit the 110 miles of coastline in the provinces of West Java and South Java, which were untouched in the 2004 tsunami. The wave reached up to 200 yards ashore and has killed over 580 people and wounded 600. 300 people are still considered missing and 55,000 people have been displaced.
July 11, 2006
Seven bombs exploded along the Western Line of the Suburban Railway in Mumbai, India during the afternoon rush-hour on the evening of July 11th. The coordinated attack on seven different commuter trains left 182 people dead and over 900 wounded. Over a period of eleven minutes, bombs exploded in the first-class compartments of the trains while others were detonated in railway stations. One bomb near Borivali station was found and defused. After a temporary suspension, the Western Line resumed normal service by the next day.
May 12, 2006
Several firefighters responded to two explosions that resulted in a three-alarm fire at the Wynnewood Refining Company in Wynnewood. Officials left the fire to burn itself out for several hours, rather than attempting to extinguish it. Approximately 2,500 residents east of the refinery and south of Route 29 were asked to evacuate from their homes, and emergency services asked residents of the smoke-affected areas to close their windows and doors and stay inside. Several schools and businesses were also evacuated. Highway 77 was shut down in both directions near the scene as a precaution, and smoke from the fire was reportedly visible from as far away as Oklahoma City.
April 24, 2006
At 19:15 local time on April 24, three bombs exploded in Dhahab, Egypt, killing 24 people and injuring 60 others. The bombs exploded simultaneously in the popular tourist town on the South Sinai Peninsula in three locations: the Al Capone Restaurant, outside a supermarket and jewelry store, and near a bridge entrance.
April 2-7, 2006
At least six tornadoes touched down in mid-Tennessee on April 2nd, including one that was F-3 force, resulting in 12 fatalities and damage in 20 counties. The storms damaged approximately 3,000 structures and left over 16,000 residents without electricity and natural gas for several days.
April 3, 2006
Seventy firefighters battled a six-alarm fire in the historic former Yale and Town Lock Co. factory and warehouse located at Canal Street and Henry Street. No one was injured by the fire that took crews over five hours to extinguish.
March 16, 2006
Cox Arena was evacuated after a bomb-sniffing dog alerted police to a suspicious package at a hot dog concession stand during a pre-event search of Cox Arena before the NCAA basketball tournament games on March 16th. Officials evacuated the stadium as a precaution while the bomb squad evaluated and investigated the situation.
March 10-27, 2006
Groups across the nation organized large protests in several major cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Washington DC, and New York from March 10-27. The demonstrations ranged in size from tens of thousands in Chicago to 500,000 protesters in Los Angeles. The groups were protesting against H.R.4437, or the "Border Protection, Anti-terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005," to denounce an immigration policy that criminalizes undocumented immigrants and finances a security wall along the US-Mexico border.
March 14, 2006
Heavy rains caused a 250-foot wide breach of the Ka Loko Dam in Kilauea, Kauai on March 14, 2006. 18-foot waves washed through a local road and onto the Kuhio Highway, destroying two homes in its path. Seven people were reported missing.
February 24, 2006
The Saudi Arabian Interior Minister announced that the country is on "high alert" after al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the February 24, 2006 attempted suicide attack on the Abqaiq oil facility at 3:00 pm local time. In the first attack on an oil production facility since the Saudi royal family began a crackdown on al-Qaeda militants three years ago, three cars disguised as belonging to the state oil company, Aramco, penetrated the facility’s first security gate. They were at the second gate when one of the cars carrying gunmen exchanged gunfire with the guards. The gunfight was followed by the explosion of the other two vehicles, leading to a small fire that was extinguished soon thereafter. Two guards were killed and another eight were injured.
February 3, 2006
A tractor trailer hauling 4000 gallons of hydroxylamine overturned on California's I-5 transition to SR-152 on February 3rd, 2006. Hydroxylamine is an ammonia-like substance that is corrosive and possibly explosive and is dangerous if inhaled or touched. 250-500 gallons of the chemical were spilled which required hazmat teams to respond for cleanup. Ten miles of I-5 was shut down in both directions for a day and a half and SR-152 was closed for an additional 24 hours.
December 30, 2005 - January 10, 2006
A transit strike involving London’s Tube station staff occurred over the New Year and on January 8, 2006. The Rail Maritime and Transport union was in a dispute with Transport for London management over an enforced 35-hour workweek, which was considered hazardous for passenger safety by union leadership. Many unstaffed stations were closed over the New Year, which resulted in some line cancellations, and delays on most lines that were still in service.
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