TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A 29-year-old Topeka man is dead after a wreck along I-70 Friday night.

The Kansas Highway Patrol was called to the area of Valencia Rd. and I-70 around 8:00 p.m. for a report of a pedestrian walking along the interstate.

The person walking flagged down a passerby who stopped and alerted 911 that there had been a wreck.

KHP found a 2008 Chevy Silverado that ran off the road in between the bridges and into the creek one mile east of Valencia Rd.

KHP says the car was traveling eastbound on I70 when it left to road and went airborne and struck the east embankment and bridge pillar.

The passenger, Carlos Colon-Medina, 29 of Topeka, was found dead. The driver, Michael McElheny, 23 of Perry, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

KHP believes McElheny was stuck in the truck for nearly two hours before he was able to climb out and walk for help.

KHP says their preliminary investigation shows fatigue may have played a part in the wreck.

 

https://www.wibw.com/content/news/1-dead-in-wreck-on-I-70-west-of-Topeka-566713651.html

ESKRIDGE, Kan. (WIBW)- Fire crews in Wabaunsee County battled a structure fire near Eskridge Wednesday morning.

Fire was called in around 5:20 a.m. in the 15000 block of Mission Valley Road, about five miles northeast of Eskridge.

When crews arrived, they found a machine shed fully engulfed in flames.

The shed contained various farm implements and equipment. Some of the implements are considered a total loss.

Crews on scene say a tractor was plugged in at the time of the fire, but no official cause has been determined.

There were no injuries.

Firefighters from Dover, Harveyville and Eskridge had to deal with sub-zero temperatures, and even colder wind chills, while fighting this fire.

 

https://www.wibw.com/content/news/Barn-fire-reported-near-Eskridge-466765683.html

AUBURN, Kan. (WIBW) -- A wildfire that was contained Wednesday is a good reminder about wild fire prevention.

Auburn Fire Chief Scott Hunt said that high winds spread a small acreage fire in Auburn. He said the winds also helped reignite the fire.

“It’s so dry and the wind flares it up even with water,” Hunt said. “The water evaporates and now you have the hot embers underneath starting the fire again."

Hunt said when people think they can control a fire in dry windy climates it can put others at risk.

"Anytime that we lose control of a fire up here or somebody thinks they can burn in high winds, or thinks they got the fire out, and it comes up windy the next day,” Hunt said. “It’s blowing an ember into something that isn’t burnt."

The state's emergency operations center has activated several times already this year for fires like the one late Wednesday that burned 14-thousand acres in Morton and Santon counties.

The EOC's Deputy Manager Devan Tucking said you can take steps to prevent wild fires, such as keeping your lawn mown and cleaning up debris.

"Above all during days when we have a high wild fire danger, don't throw cigarettes on the ground, avoid any activities that might throw or emit a spark, and be very careful and diligent,” Tucking said.

She added that even on days where the fire danger is low, they have had to assist in firefighting response.

Auburn fire received assistant from Dover, Mission, Shawnee Heights and the 190th Air Refueling Wing.

Katie Horner, Spokesperson for the Adjutant General's Office, gave the following statement:

After every major disaster we do an after action report and hold numerous meetings to identify what we can improve. With the worse wild land fires two years in a row and a continuation of an extreme drought, the Adjutant General chose to adopt a more proactive stance.

 

https://www.wibw.com/content/news/Auburn-wildfire-a-reminder-about-fire-danger-480203853.html

TOPEKA (WIBW)- A fire early Thursday morning left a home under renovation totally destroyed.

Shawnee County authorities say firefighters were called to the 10000 block of K-4 Highway, near the Hoch Road intersection.

Officials say the house was under renovation.

No one was inside the home at the time of the blaze.

Dover and Auburn Fire Departments are on scene working the fire.

This is a developing story. We'll have more information as it becomes available.

 

https://www.wibw.com/content/news/House-under-renovation-destroyed-by-fire-489853461.html