Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department Donates Final Ambulance

The Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department made its final donation, marking the dissolution of the organization after 77 years.

  For 77 years, Portsmouth's Volunteer Fire Department has supplied the town with state-of-the-art medical rescue equipment, but with a final donation last week that burden will now be on the taxpayers. On Friday, the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department unveiled its final donation - a 2012 International/Horton Model 623 Medium Duty Ambulance at the cost of $205,000. "This is top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art equipment and this is something that we may not be able to provide going forward," said Portsmouth Fire Department Chief Michael M. Cranston during a ceremony on Friday. As this ambulance - and cardiac monitoring device - will be the last donated equipment to the town, taxpayers will need to figure in another line item in Portsmouth's…

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Michael P. O'Brien

1:41 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013

To clarify: The Volunteers are still accepting donations. Every cent of all donated money will be disbursed to purchase medical and rescue items for the Portsmouth Fire Department. The amount of funds on hand and the likely amount of money collected from future donations is not enough keep pace with the demand for ambulance purchases. Eventually, the Volunteer’s will close up shop when all money …   more ›

Portsmouth Woman, 78, Dies After Head-On Vehicle Crash

A Portsmouth woman was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital Monday after a head-on vehicle crash on West Main Road near Raytheon.

  A Portsmouth woman, 78, was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital Monday morning after sustaining injuries in a head-on crash on West Main Road in Portsmouth.  Portsmouth police officers responded to West Main Road near Locust Avenue for a motor vehicle accident at 10 a.m. Monday.  A 2001 Chevrolet Malibu was travelling south on West Main Road when it crossed over the double-yellow lines near Locust Avenue and collided head-on with a 2008 Isuzu Box truck, police said.  Portsmouth Rescue crews used hydraulic tools to remove the woman trapped in the vehicle.  The operator of the Chevrolet Malibu, a 78-year-old woman from Portsmouth, was transported to Newport Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The name of the victim is being withheld at…

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UPDATED: Elderly Woman Transported To Hospital After Head-On Crash

The crash remains under investigation at this time.

Updated at 2:06 p.m.  An elderly woman from Portsmouth was transported to Newport Hospital for treatment of injuries after a head-on crash Monday morning on West Main Road in Portsmouth.  A vehicle, operated by the elderly woman, was traveling south on West Main Road when it crossed the double-yellow lines and collided head-on with a truck, Portsmouth police said.  The crash occurred at 10 a.m. on West Main Road, just south of Locust Avenue near Raytheon.  "Portsmouth Engine 1 and Rescue 1 were dispatched  to West Main Road at Locust Avenue for a 'head-on' motor vehicle accident," wrote Portsmouth Fire Deputy Chief Michael O'Brien, spokesman for the department, in a press release.  "Crews arrived to find a 78-year-old female heavily …

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Portsmouth Pizza Shop Struggles to Recover After Electrical Fire

West Main Pizza in Portsmouth will be closed for another month, says owner.

  "Bored," was the one word West Main Pizza co-owner Gary Rahilly used when asked how he was doing after a fire closed his Portsmouth pizza business. Since the fire, Rahilly has been looking for things to do in the meantime. He was found Tuesday mowing the lawn behind the one-story West Main Pizza restaurant while Middletown-based Paradise Restoration workers continued to clean the inside. A white sign, reading "Sorry we are closed due to a small fire," stood next to the front door.  "It was an unfortunate accident, but I will be back in business," Rahilly vowed.  West Main Pizza is a popular eatery along West Main Road in Portsmouth, especially after Portsmouth Little League games in the summer and a favorite place among workers at the …

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Portsmouth Firefighters Rescue Man Trapped in Cherry Picker

Portsmouth firefighters saved a man stuck in a raised bucket truck, a cherry picker, Thursday morning at Clements' Market.

  Portsmouth firefighters saved a man Thursday morning after he became trapped in a cherry picker, a hydraulic crane with a raised platform, at Clements' Market in Portsmouth.  A man, an employee of Henderson Electric, a Pawtucket company, was in the process of changing light bulbs in the Clements' Market parking lot when the vehicle he was using experienced a hydraulic failure, according to Portsmouth Fire Deputy Chief Michael O'Brien.  Portsmouth firefighters removed him from the lifted bucket and brought him safely to the ground. No injuries were reported.  Firefighters also cleaned up a small hydraulic fluid spill in the Clements' Market parking lot. 

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Fire Breaks Out at West Main Pizza; Possible $20K in Damages

Portsmouth firefighters battled a fire at West Main Pizza Sunday afternoon.

  Portsmouth firefighters responded quickly Sunday afternoon to a report of a fire at the popular eatery, West Main Pizza.  The fire broke out just after 2 p.m. at the pizza restaurant, located at 1620 West Main Road. Firefighters received a 911 call about the blaze.  Crews arrived to find a fire in the walls and bathroom ceiling area of the restaurant.  The fire was extinguished within 10 minutes. Crews remained on the scene until 4 p.m.   The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but all indications currently indicate an electrical fire, according to Deputy Chief Michael O'Brien. No injuries were reported. The fire occurred at an inconvenient time for responders. Firefighters were deployed at the Beast of the East rugby …

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Portsmouth Home Saved by Vigilant Neighbor

Portsmouth firefighters battled a outside fire on Thursday afternoon.

Portsmouth officials are crediting a vigilant neighbor for saving a home from an outside fire Thursday afternoon.  At 1:40 p.m. Thursday, the Portsmouth Fire received a report of a fire outside of 75 Crestview Drive.  Crews arrived to find a smoldering fire in the front yard of the residence.  A landscaped area, covered with bark mulch and decorative plant, had ignited and was free burning.  Due to dry conditions, a fire threat is in effect in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts today.  A neighbor, who had discovered and reported the Portsmouth fire, doused the majority of the flames with a bucket. While fire crews were are scene extinguishing the remainder of the first fire, as many as 10 other smaller fires broke out in mulched areas …

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Portsmouth Firefighters Complete Rescue Training

Members of C Platoon recently conducted some technical rescue training.

Portsmouth Firefighters Battle RV Blaze

A motor home was reportedly on fire early Saturday morning.

The Portsmouth Fire Department received a 911 call early Saturday morning at 6:41 a.m. reporting a motor home on fire in the driveway of 477 Turnpike Ave.  Portsmouth Fire Engines 1, 2, and 3 were dispatched and arrived to find a large recreational vehicle well involved in fire in close proximity to the residence.  Two people were inside the motor home at the time of the blaze. Both individuals escaped without injury. "Crews pulled two handlines, attacking the fire and protecting the home from further damage," according to a press release. The RV sustained heavy damage, but the house only sustained scorched shingles "due to the great work of the responders," according to the release.  Crews were able to clear the scene in about one hour. 

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