Blaze at Pennsylvania Aerospace Facility Triggers Evacuations and School Closures

USUnited States|

A significant fire erupted at SPS Technologies in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, February 17, 2025, prompting local officials to order evacuations and school closures, according to the Abington Township Police Department. Witnesses reported an explosion with flames visible inside the facility, leading to the immediate evacuation of employees, who were later accounted for without injuries.

Due to concerns over smoke and air quality, schools in the Abington and Jenkintown districts, along with private institutions, were closed on Tuesday and will remain shuttered through Wednesday. Approximately 700 residents in the immediate vicinity were advised to evacuate voluntarily as hazmat crews monitored air quality levels.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority suspended service on three regional rail lines due to the incident. SPS Technologies specializes in manufacturing aerospace fasteners and precision components. As of late Tuesday afternoon, firefighting efforts were ongoing, and officials emphasized the gravity of the air quality concerns affecting the community.

Weekly Newsletter

Loading...

More from United States

NASA Confirms Existence of Supermassive Black Hole in Galaxy M87

NASA has recently confirmed the presence of a supermassive black hole at the center of the elliptical galaxy M87, weighing approximately 2.6 billion times that of the Sun. This groundbreaking discovery was made possible by images captured from the Hubble Space Telescope, which revealed the immense gravitational forces at play in the galaxy located 52 million light-years from Earth. According to scientists, M87 is home to over 100 billion stars, yet its core houses a black hole that significantly distorts space and time, a phenomenon that many describe as a “door to hell.” The existence of such a colossal black hole has been theorized since 1978, but it remained unverified until recent analysis by astronomers including Tod Lauer, Sandra Faber, and Gary Linds. Additionally, the galaxy exhibits a dramatic plasma jet extending thousands of light-years, fueled by the black hole's energy. The concentration of stars near M87's center is also remarkably high, dense enough to be 300 times greater than typical massive elliptical galaxies, indicating the black hole's strong gravitational influence.
USUnited States

Boy, 12, Dies After Extreme Punishment In Ohio, Caregiver Charged

A 12-year-old boy, Jadako Taylor, died in Ohio after allegedly being subjected to extreme corporal punishment by his caregiver, Anthony McCants, 23. Preliminary reports indicate that McCants forced Taylor to endure multiple ice baths interspersed with physical exercises, leading to cardiac arrest. The incident occurred around 5 AM, as per local police statements. According to the New York Post, Taylor was reportedly ordered to take two 45-minute ice baths, followed by additional exercises, before being subjected to yet another 30-minute cold immersion. The practices were described in legal documents as a form of corporal punishment. When emergency services arrived, they found the boy had begun to vomit and seizure; he was later pronounced dead at Akron Children's Hospital, with a core body temperature of 74°F, significantly below the normal 98.6°F threshold. McCants has been charged with felony endangerment and is currently being held on $500,000 bail. The relationship between McCants and Taylor remains unclear as investigations continue.
USUnited States

The Fragile State of U.S. Democracy: A Political Scientist's Warning

In a reflective article published on March 17, 2025, Benjamin E. Goldsmith, a professor at the University of Sydney, warns that U.S. democracy is "doomed" amidst rising authoritarianism under Donald Trump. Goldsmith explains that a loss of political culture, which he deems crucial for upholding democratic values, has made the U.S. vulnerable to elite manipulation of democratic processes. He argues that Trump, now in a second term, has learned to navigate and exploit the democratic system's weaknesses, potentially transforming it into an "illiberal political system" that preserves his power beyond 2028. Goldsmith suggests that current political tactics resemble those employed by authoritarian regimes, eroding essential democratic institutions such as a free press and the rule of law, reminiscent of scenarios in Russia and Ukraine. Furthermore, he predicts a fundamental shift in international relations, with the U.S. joining China and Russia as a dominant non-democratic power, ultimately undermining the rules-based international order. The article concludes with a call for vigilance regarding these developments in American political culture.
USUnited States