The heroic pilot who safely ditched a stricken airliner in a New York City river in 2009 has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger III, 75, shared the update on his personal website, writing that he was recently diagnosed and it is at an early stage.

“For now, this means a name may not come easily to me, I forget a story I have recently told, or I don’t sleep as well, but I am in the beginning of this long journey,” he wrote.

US Airways Flight 1549 came down in the Hudson River on 15 January 2009, after both its engines were disabled in a collision with a flock of geese shortly after take-off. All 155 people on board survived.

Sullenberger’s quick thinking and calm demeanour were credited with averting disaster.

The former US Air Force fighter pilot from California said in a post on his website on Tuesday that his Alzheimer’s diagnosis “has challenged what it means to be of service” and that he has found “the answer is to speak up” about the disease.

A group of Argentina fans were filmed burning the Union Jack ahead of the World Cup semi-final against England, as the footage sparked mockery online over the use of the wrong flag

A group of Argentina supporters have burnt a Union Jack flag on the eve of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final with England. The pre-match hostility looks set to increase after a select number of Argentine fans set the Great British colours alight on the outskirts of Buenos Aires in Escobar.

The two teams meet in Atlanta on Wednesday with Thomas Tuchel’s side pushing to end the defending champions’ pursuit of retaining their crown. The history on and off the pitch between England and Argentina is threatening to spill over as they meet for the first time since the 2002 World Cup, where David Beckham’s penalty was the difference.

Cheers ring out from the gathered crowd as the flames begin to take hold. Several onlookers can also be seen leaping up and down while chanting: “He who doesn’t jump is an Englishman.”

The clip is believed to have been filmed following Argentina’s victory over Switzerland on Saturday evening, with the Three Lions having already secured their own semi-final berth earlier that day. The reigning World Cup champions haven’t faced England since a 2005 friendly.

While the two nations share considerable history on the football pitch, there is no shortage of tension off it either. The Union Jack featured prominently as a symbol carried by British troops during the Falklands War and remains part of the current flag of the Falkland Islands.

The historical narrative surrounding the game has overshadowed proceedings in the build-up to the game with the FBI, officials and local police deeming the showdown as the “highest risk” fixture at this summer’s tournament.

The footage of the burning flag drew widespread bemusement, given that England, of course, fly the St George’s Cross. On social media, one user questioned: “Are they that dumb or what?”

Another remarked: “Burning the flag of Great Britain thinking it’s England’s just proves that the biggest enemy of the Argentine isn’t the English, it’s the geography book.”

Following their 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland, Argentina’s players were captured on film singing about the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas). “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona], for Leo’s [Lionel Messi] last one,” they sang inside their dressing room.

However, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni doesn’t want his squad to become swept up in the emotion of the fixture. “The ­message is this is a football game” Scaloni affirmed at a press conference.

“That is what I can say. We will be playing against a very tough opponent, they have an excellent coach, it is a football game and that is all.”

Meanwhile, Argentina forward Jose Lopez said: “Obviously, inside and outside the four lines of the pitch it’s a match that has a lot of history there, a lot of pain and a lot of things behind it.

“I think we are professionals and we’re going to play it like we play every game: until the last ­second, leaving our lives on the field.”

The school was told by Ofsted it needed to make ‘urgent improvements’ in its last inspection

A Cambridgeshire school will move to a new education trust – months after it was warned to make ‘significant improvements’. In May, the Department of Education issued a Termination Warning Notice to the members and trustees of the Active Learning Trust, which oversees Neale Wade Academy in March.

This followed an Ofsted report that said the school needed to “urgently improve”. The DfE has since told the education trust that the school will be moving to a new academy trust.

A spokesperson for the Active Learning Trust said: “We have made our staff and families aware that the Department for Education has decided that Neale-Wade will be moving to a new academy trust for the next phase of its improvement.

“Neale-Wade has made significant progress over the past few years – which has been recognised by Ofsted. In their most recent report from January, Ofsted concluded that attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing and post-16 provision were all achieving the ‘expected standard’ grade.”

The spokesperson added that the trust finds it “deeply disappointing” that the school will be moving trusts, “despite this progress” the school has made. The spokesperson said: “And despite Ofsted recognising the improvements that have been made, that the DfE has taken this decision.

“We do not believe the decision is in the best interests of the school or students. Our focus now is on supporting students and staff through every stage of this transition so that the school can continue its improvement journey.”

The Great British Sewing Bee has officially returned to BBC One for its 12th series

The Great British Sewing Bee returned to the BBC on Tuesday (July 14), with a new face at the helm.

12 new contestants were welcomed into the sewing room, but they weren’t the only people stepping into unfamiliar territory, as comedian and actress Sophie Willan has taken over from former host Sara Pascoe.

Sophie was joined by judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young, who set the sewers three tasks within the theme of British summer.

The pattern challenge saw the contestants craft summer shorts with a patch pocket, before they had to make barbecue aprons into bags in the transformation challenge.

Later, the sewers were asked to create garments to fit themselves as they made outfits for their ideal summer’s day and modeled them on the catwalk.

At the start of the episode, Sophie was seen preparing to make her introduction. As part of a hilarious opening segment, a producer arrived to tell the star: “Got the most amazing idea for the pre-title sketches. We’re gonna dress you as a giant bobbin and roll you in.”

Another crew member could then be heard saying: “Ok, Sophie, standby! Don’t forget, once you’ve introduced the challenge, head straight to the haberdashery to talk applique.”

Sophie looked confused, before Esme jokingly said to her: “Wing it. I’ve been winging it for years.”

BBC viewers quickly said the same thing as Sophie got to grips with her new role. Fans shared their delight on X (formerly Twitter), with one person writing: “Sophie’s a great new presenter on #SewingBee.”

Another added: “I already prefer Sophie Willan to all the other hosts,” while a third said: “Great presenter,” alongside a smiley face emoji.

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “Loving the new presenter and sewers this year.”

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Sophie was announced as the new host of The Great British Sewing Bee back in September 2025.

At the time, Cal Turner, Commissioning Editor, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sophie Willan to The Great British Sewing Bee. With her boundless enthusiasm and energy, Sophie will bring her own unique spark to the sewing room alongside Patrick and Esme.

“We’d also like to thank Sara Pascoe for three brilliant series – her humour and charm have been a joy for viewers and stitchers alike.”

Tom Davies, Executive Producer at Love Productions, added: “We are so excited to have Sophie join the Sewing Bee team and we cannot wait to see what she brings to the Sewing Room.”

The Great British Sewing Bee is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) pushed back on claims by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) that she included safeguards for Immigration and Customs Enforcement after ICE shot and killed a man in Biddeford on Monday.

She was speaking after ICE shot and killed Joan Sebastian Guerrero shortly after 7 a.m in Biddeford. Guerrero was authorized to work in the United States. Witnesses to the shooting said that a distressed family yelled “you took her dad” alongside a child who “couldn’t have been older than three” still in her Bluey pajamas, the Portland Press Herald reported on Monday.

The shooting comes as Collins faces a difficult re-election in Maine, a state that voted for Kamala Harris. Many of the Democrats who are running in the mini-primary to replace scandal-plagued Graham Platner excoriated Collins, who is chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and therefore writes the budget for ICE.

“Senator Collins wrote the blank check to allow these officers to conduct themselves in the way that they have in Maine in the first place, and she’s the one who’s poured resources into it,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent. “And just because now that there’s live footage of the atrocities that she has enabled, doesn’t make it better than preventing them from happening in the first place.”

Specifically, Democrats criticized her for voting to give ICE and Customs and Border Protection $70 billion earlier this year.

Collins did so on a party-line vote after a months-long shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats and Republicans voted for a bill to fund all of Homeland Security except for ICE and CBP. Republicans then voted on a separate party-line bill to fund ICE and CBP. This came after an ICE official shot and killed Renee Good and CBP officials shot and killed another protester, Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis.

In response, ICE reportedly said it would temporarily halt traffic stops of vehicles, according to an email obtained by The Atlantic.

“I discussed that possibility with the Secretary of Homeland Security and urged him to proceed with a halt in non-emergency vehicle stops,” Collins told The Independent when asked about it.

But Ocasio-Cortez criticized the fact that it took another killing for this to happen.

“I mean, they’re just trying to cover for the fact that what they are doing shouldn’t be allowable in the first place,” she told The Independent. “And the fact that they’re pausing it is to distract from the fact that in many of these instances they shouldn’t be allowed to do it in the first place.”

Collins said that ICE remained a necessity to investigate human trafficking, child exploitation, drug smuggling, weapons smuggling and international financial crimes, but there needed to be safeguards.

“So, I am also very eager to get the body-worn cameras out to all ICE officials, it should be mandatory,” she said. Collins then pointed out that she brokered a deal with Democratic Vice Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to include $20 million for body cameras for ICE, funneling $12.8 million to oversee money spent for President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” legislation and $20 million for independent oversight of ICE detention facilities.

Those provisions came in a stopgap spending bill after the killing of Good. But Democrats largely came out against funding the Department of Homeland Security after CBP officials killed Pretti.

Collins also lamented the shooting when The Independent asked what her message would be to the family of Guerrero.

“It appears to have been a horrible tragedy,” she said. “We don’t have all the facts yet, and that’s why the investigation, which is being conducted by the state attorney general’s office, by the FBI, and by the independent office of Inspector General out of Boston is so important, but it’s always a tragedy when someone is killed.”

Democrats and some Republicans criticized the fact that the federal government has not done a comprehensive probe into the killings of Pretti and Good. That ultimately led to the shutdown and the eventual resolution.

Health officials are investigating whether Taco Bell may be connected to an outbreak of a parasite that causes ‘explosive diarrhea’, according to a new report.

The fast-food chain has removed several fresh ingredients from some of its restaurants in the US following a possible connection to cyclosporiasis.

Thousands of cases of the intestinal illness have been reported in the US, as officials try to identify the source of the outbreak.

According to The Washington Post, state and federal investigators are examining Taco Bell after some people who became ill recently ate at the restaurant.

Last week, the Taco Bell locations in Michigan warned customers that lettuce, cilantro, onions, pico de gallo and guacamole were temporarily unavailable because of a nationwide recall.

A Taco Bell spokesperson said: ‘The health and safety of our guests is our top priority.

‘Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer.

‘While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.’

As the investigation continues, officials have explained that the outbreak is not believed to be confined to Taco Bell.

The illness, which is caused by the parasite Cyclospora, is believed to spread through food or water contaminated with human waste.

Symptoms can include watery diarrhoea, severe or ‘explosive’ bowel movements, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and a low-grade fever.

So far, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that there have been 843 cases across 31 states since May.

From this number, 86 people have been hospitalised with the real number of infections expected to be much higher.

In Michigan in particular, 3,309 cases have been reported compared to around 50 in a typical year.

Meanwhile, cases in Illinois, Virginia, Ohio and New York have also started to increase.

Dr Natasha Bagdasarian, the department’s chief medical executive, said in a statement: ‘Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families.

‘Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation.’

Officials are advising people to buy whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-packaged salad.

Most healthy people will recover from cyclosporiasis without treatment, although the illness can be prolonged and last several days or even more than a month

MORE: Thousands of UK women had ‘two periods in June’ — this is why

MORE: Government wasted £10,000,000,000 on PPE during Covid pandemic

MORE: Carol Vorderman injured after fall left her unconscious and covered in bruises

Andy Lulham, chief operating officer at online safety provider Verifymy, said the default setting for the overnight limit for 16 and 17-year-olds “will ask the most of platforms technically, since they’ll now need to identify and apply different rules to three distinct groups – the under-16s being banned from next spring, older adolescents, and adults with full, open access”.

By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 20:25 BST, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 22:55 BST, 14 July 2026

A man whose body was found inside a suitcase by families taking part in a teddy bear hunt has been pictured for the first time. 

Dale Mundell, 34, from Islington, was discovered inside the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’ and left at Borstal Recreation Ground in Rochester, Kent.

Police had been alerted to a potential murder at an address on Kingfisher Court, off Queensmere Road, in Wimbledon at 10.55pm on Thursday.

Officers found nobody inside the property during the search but believed someone had been hurt at the scene and launched a murder investigation.

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They later arrested Joshua Miller, 32, and Jamie Cooper, 27, who have since been charged.

Miller, 32, appeared via videolink to Medway Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with the murder of Mr Mundell on July 8, and preventing a lawful burial on July 9.

He appeared alongside co-defendant Cooper, of the same address, who is charged with preventing a lawful burial on July 9.

The victim and the two suspects were known to each other, police previously said. 

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Dale Mundell, 34, from Islington, was discovered inside the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’ and left in Borstal Recreation Ground in Rochester, Kent

Police are pictured at the scene on Friday following the discovery of the case that was reportedly covered in ‘hundreds of flies’

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was at the park attending a teddy bear hunt organised as a fundraiser for a local nursery when the suitcase was discovered.

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She told KentOnline: ‘I saw the luggage before the police. I was with my niece and nephew, so I was busy keeping them from seeing it.

‘What I saw was the suitcase covered in hundreds of flies. I actually heard the buzzing from them first.

‘I noticed that it was a large suitcase and had a snow sledge next to it.’

Mr Mundell’s family are being supported by specialist officers.

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Miller will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on July 15.

Miller and Cooper will then both appear at the same court on August 10 for a plea hearing.

Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway, who is leading the investigation, previously said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family who are understandably distraught at their loss.

‘We will continue to offer them every support.

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‘This has been a fast-moving investigation and we are working tirelessly to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.

‘Although we have made two arrests and do not believe there is any wider risk to the public, we would ask that anyone with information comes forward to police as soon as possible by calling 101 with CAD 9504/9JUL.’

Horwich-born Vernon Kay, Bolton-born Clive Myrie and Little Lever’s Sara Cox all feature in the top 20 of the list of BBC stars who earned more than £178,000 during the financial year ending March 31, 2026.

Vernon Kay (Image: BBC)

Vernon Kay is the highest-paid of the trio, ranking joint fourth on the list with earnings of £405,000 to £409,999.

His salary increased from £390,000 to £394,999 the previous year.

The former Radio 1 presenter now hosts the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 2 after taking over the slot previously held by Ken Bruce.

Clive Myrie

News presenter and Mastermind host Clive Myrie is listed in the £320,000 to £324,999 pay band, placing him joint 17th.

His earnings were down slightly from £335,000 to £339,999 in 2024/25.

Sara Cox, who grew up in Little Lever, also appears in the £320,000 to £324,999 pay band alongside Myrie.

The Radio 2 Drivetime presenter received a pay rise from £310,000 to £314,999 in the previous year.

Sara Cox (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)

The BBC publishes the salaries of presenters earning more than £178,000 each year as part of its annual report.

The figures cover staff paid directly by the corporation and do not include presenters employed through BBC Studios or independent production companies.

Former Radio 2 Breakfast Show presenter Scott Mills topped this year’s list with earnings of £745,000 to £749,999, followed by Radio 1’s Greg James and BBC Radio Ulster presenter Stephen Nolan.

Other familiar names in the top 20 include Laura Kuenssberg, Alan Shearer, Naga Munchetty, Fiona Bruce, Gary Lineker and Sophie Raworth.

Speaking ahead of the annual report’s release, deputy director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said he felt there had been “remarkable progress” on salaries, claiming that talent above the £500,000 threshold had been reduced by 50% across the past seven years.

He said: “If you look at all our on-air presenter costs over the last seven years, they’ve come down by about £20 million pounds, so we have been focused on it, there is always a balancing act.

“We want to be a broadcaster that can attract the best talent, but we’re also very mindful of the financial pressures that we’re facing.

“But I think we’re striking that balance very, very carefully, and I think you’ll see that downward trend continuing in the months to come.”

The full list:

Here is a full list of BBC on-air pay above £178,000 for 2025/26, as published in the corporation’s annual report.

The list is ranked by pay band, starting with the highest.

The equivalent pay band for 2024/25 is shown in brackets, with a description of the year-on-year change.

The list does not include people who are paid through independent production companies or the BBC’s commercial arm BBC Studios.

1 Scott Mills £745,000-£749,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)

2 Greg James £440,000-£444,999 (up from £425,000-£429,999)

3 Stephen Nolan £425,000-£429,999 (up from £405,000-£409,999)

4= Vernon Kay £405,000-£409,999 (up from £390,000-£394,999)

4= Laura Kuenssberg £405,000-£409,999 (up from £395,000-£399,999)

6 Alan Shearer £390,000-£394,999 (down from £440,000-£444,999)

7 Justin Webb £375,000-£379,999 (up from £365,000-£369,999)

8 Naga Munchetty £360,000-£364,999 (up from £355,000-£359,999)

9 Fiona Bruce £345,000-£349,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)

10 Sophie Raworth £340,000-£344,999 (down from £350,000-£354,999)

11= Mark Chapman £335,000-£339,999 (up from £325,000-£329,999)

11= Nick Grimshaw £335,000-£339,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

13= Trevor Nelson £330,000-£334,999 (up from £245,000-£249,999)

13= Nick Robinson £330,000-£334,999 (down from £410,000-£414,999)

15= Reeta Chakrabarti £325,000-£329,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)

15= Gary Lineker £325,000-£329,999 (down from £1,350,000-£1,354,999)

17= Sara Cox £320,000-£324,999 (up from £310,000-£314,999)

17= Clive Myrie £320,000-£324,999 (down from £335,000-£339,999)

17= Amol Rajan £320,000-£324,999 (up from £315,000-£319,999)

20 Anna Foster £315,000-£319,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

21= Emma Barnett £305,000-£309,999 (up from £285,000-£289,999)

21= Evan Davis £305,000-£309,999 (up from £300,000-£304,999)

23= Ros Atkins £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)

23= Tina Daheley £300,000-£304,999 (up from £295,000-£299,999)

25 Nicky Campbell £295,000-£299,999 (down from £300,000-£304,999)

26= Gabby Logan £290,000-£294,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

26= Jason Mohammad £290,000-£294,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

28 Chris Mason £275,000-£279,999 (up from £270,000-£274,999)

29= Victoria Derbyshire £270,000-£274,999 (down from £275,000-£279,999)

29= Jeremy Bowen £270,000-£274,999 (up from £260,000-£264,999)

29= Simon Jack £270,000-£274,999 (up from £225,000-£229,999)

32 Jeremy Vine £265,000-£269,999 (down from £310,000-£314,999)

33 Sarah Montague £255,000-£259,999 (up from £250,000-£254,999)

34 Jo Whiley £250,000-£254,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

35= Katya Adler £245,000-£249,999 (up from £240,000 -£244,999)

35= Sarah Smith £245,000-£249,999 (up from £230,000-£234,999)

37 Fergal Keane £240,000-£244,999 (up from £235,000-£239,999)

38= Faisal Islam £235,000-£239,999 (no change)

38= Lauren Laverne £235,000-£239,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

40= Matt Chorley £230,000-£234,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

40= Lyse Doucet £230,000-£234,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)

40= Rick Edwards £230,000-£234,999 (down from £235,000-£239,999)

43= Jon Kay £225,000-£229,999 (down from £240,000-£244,999)

43= Johnathan Joseph £225,000-£229,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

45 Orla Guerin £220,000-£224,999 (up from £210,000-£214,999)

46= Rachel Burden £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)

46= Kelly Cates £215,000-£219,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

46= Katie Razzall £215,000-£219,999 (down from £220,000-£224,999)

49= Matthew Amroliwala £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999

49= Ben Brown £210,000-£214,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)

49= Paddy O’Connell £210,000-£214,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

49= Jonny Dymond £210,000-£214,999 (up from £205,000-£209,999)

53= Owain Wyn Evans £205,000-£209,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)

53= Lucy Hockings £205,000-£209,999 (up from £200,000-£204,999)

53= Caitriona Perry £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)

53= John Simpson £205,000-£209,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

53= Sumi Somaskanda £205,000-£209,999 (up from £185,000-£189,999)

58= Maryam Moshiri £200,000-£204,999 (up from £195,000-£199,999)

58= Sally Nugent £200,000-£204,999 (no change)

60= Sally Bundock £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

60= Christian Fraser £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)

60= Jane Hill £195,000-£199,999 (down from £200,000-£204,999)

60= Annita McVeigh £195,000-£199,999 (up from £190,000-£194,999)

60= Alex Scott £195,000-£199,999 (down from £205,000-£209,999)

65= Craig Charles £190,000-£194,999 (no change)

65= Steve Rosenberg £190,000-£194,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

65= Charlie Stayt £190,000-£194,999 (no change)

68= Adrian Chiles £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

68= Michael Vaughan £185,000-£189,999 (not listed in 2024/25)

70 Steven Lai £178,000-£184,999 (no change)

A large-scale emergency services response has been seen in the area on Tuesday evening

A huge fire has taken hold in Mumbles on Tuesday evening, prompting a large-scale emergency services response. Billowing smoke has been seen in the popular seaside area and from miles away this evening, as the fire service deals with the blaze.

South Wales Police confirmed it was a wildfire, which originated near Mumbles Cricket Club. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.

It said in a statement that there is currently no threat to the public, but advised the public to avoid the area.

A spokesman said: “At this moment the fire is not being treated as suspicious.”

County councillors for Mumbles, Angela O’Connor, Will Thomas and Hannah Williams thanked the emergency services for their efforts to bring the fire under control.

They said in a joint statement: “A huge thank you to our incredible firefighters and emergency services who responded so quickly to the fire along the cliff path this evening.

“Thankfully, it appears no one has been injured, and the fire is now almost completely out.

“Early indications suggest it was caused by natural factors.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated crews who work tirelessly, often in difficult conditions, to keep our communities and our beautiful coastline safe. Thank you for everything you do.

“Please continue to avoid the affected area until it is declared safe by the emergency services.”

The fire service has been contacted for comment.

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