Residents and tourists were unprepared for a devastating wildfire that whipped through Gatlinburg, Tenn., last fall. Winds topping 87 miles per hour fanned the flames that began in the Smoky Mountains and quickly spread through the mountain town, destroying homes … Source: Claims Journal

A year ago, the U.S. government was campaigning for an international ban on shipments of rechargeable batteries on passenger planes because the batteries can self-ignite, creating intense fires capable of destroying an airliner. “The risk is immediate and urgent,” Angela … Source: Claims Journal

Several cities are cleaning up after a massive winter storm dumped several inches of snow across a wide swath of the Midwest. More than 10 inches of snow fell in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Now, according to the National Weather … Source: Claims Journal

Visitors to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area enjoy ample sunshine and miles of open water but also have a 1-in-307,000 chance of dying, according to a popular outdoor publication that ranks it as America’s deadliest national park, an outdoor … Source: Claims Journal

The mother of a Chicago Ridge, Ill., police officer killed in a 2015 crash with an intoxicated, wrong-way driver is pushing for legislation that would increase penalties for people convicted in such crashes. Lisa Smith is supporting a bill in … Source: Claims Journal

A remarkable arson dog, whose nifty nose earned dozens of arson convictions, was named New York’s top fraud fighter for 2016. Scooter, a trained yellow Labrador Retriever had a memorable 10-year career before passing away in October 2016. She investigated … Source: Claims Journal

An increase in spearfishing and ransomware, coupled with weakened data security due to more connected and mobile devices, means businesses and insurers need to understand and protect against these threats. That’s according to an expert panel discussion held during the … Source: Claims Journal

New Jersey Transit, under state and federal inquiry for violating safety rules and operating protocols, logged the most accidents last year among the 10 biggest U.S. commuter railroads, federal records show. The 21 accidents disclosed online by the Federal Railroad … Source: Claims Journal

The Texas tour bus hit by a freight train in a deadly crash wasn’t supposed to have taken the road where it got stuck at a rail crossing earlier this week, a federal official said Thursday. National Transportation Safety Board … Source: Claims Journal

A fire that killed a toddler and critically injured two others, and also led to critical injuries to a responding fire official, appears to have been sparked by a recharging hoverboard, authorities said. Fire officials in Harrisburg said one victim … Source: Claims Journal