While the incident led many online to joke about cats having nine lives, Toast’s rescue offered a small spot of good news amid a disaster that left hundreds of people homeless.

The five-story North Union Apartments complex in Midvale, just outside Salt Lake City, caught fire on Friday morning around 8:00 AM.

Fire crews spent over two days battling the four-alarm blaze, which was likely caused by a mechanical failure and ultimately destroyed all 220 occupied units in the building.

In total, it took firefighters over 60 hours to extinguish the fire.

While many residents managed to evacuate with their pets, Toast was initially missing, leading his owners to fear the worst.

Local animal control officers noted on social media that as time went on, the chances of finding him alive grew increasingly small.

Against the odds, the local fire department announced that they had discovered Toast alive inside the complex, more than three days after the fire began.

The cat had survived inside a closet, one of the few structure points that remained intact after the roof caved in.

Despite the thick smoke and water poured from above, Toast managed to survive.

Emergency workers returned the cat to his relieved owner shortly after his rescue. Aside from being cold, wet, and frightened, Toast was in remarkably good health.

On Facebook, Toast’s owner Ryder Mathis expressed disbelief and gratitude, commenting that he was blown away to learn that his beloved pet had been found alive.

Another resident, Madison Stott, added that the news felt like a dream after days of heartbreak.

Salt Lake County Animal Services shared a video showing the reunion roughly an hour after Toast was pulled from the rubble.

In the footage, Toast meows from inside a pet carrier while a tearful Mathis looks in and eagerly asks if he can take his cat home.

Currently, it’s unclear when residents of the North Union Apartments will be able to go back home.

While a partnership between Airbnb and the United Way of Salt Lake has placed over 40 families in temporary housing, many displaced tenants continue to face a very uncertain future.

The post Cat Survives Utah Apartment Fire By Sheltering In Closet For Days appeared first on Gazette Review.

Days after her family shared that she was in hospice care, her social media confirmed that she had passed away from bile duct cancer-related complications.

Towle, who graduated from Dartmouth in 2023, was working a remote marketing job and creating online content on the side when severe abdominal pain sent her to the doctor.

Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer.

She shared her journey with over one million followers as she documented both the painful reality of her treatment and her love for travel.

Her posts captured moments ranging from using ice packs during chemotherapy to hiking in Spain and taking a solo trip through Europe following gallbladder and liver surgery.

Through her social media posts, Towle was able to reshape how people viewed cancer patients.

Leaders at the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation praised her for giving a voice to young adults with cancer, raising awareness for research, and teaching others to appreciate the present.

As she once shared in a video, bad moments happen, but they do not define the quality of a life.

In 2024, Towle relocated to New York City to receive treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center after cancer was detected in her liver.

She marked the transition by posting a video of herself dancing happily on a city street to Taylor Swift’s song “Welcome to New York.”

Around the same time, a group of online trolls gathered on Reddit, where they scrutinized her social media content.

They analyzed her statements, emotional state, wardrobe, hair, and physical symptoms, and questioned the authenticity of her diagnosis.

Convinced that it was all a massive hoax, the online posters analyzed the medical details she shared, concocted false evidence of a conspiracy, and ridiculed her actions.

Certain users contacted her corporate sponsors to demand they terminate their partnerships, while an anonymous individual went so far as to message her healthcare providers directly.

While the online harassment and false claims tormented Towle, she chose not to respond publicly to her critics.

Instead, she stayed focused on producing the videos that served as her primary source of comfort and purpose.

Born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on November 15, 1999, Sydney Elizabeth Towle was the daughter of Elizabeth Morrow and Philip Towle. She grew up and spent her childhood in Hobe Sound, Florida.

She attended Dartmouth College, where she earned a degree in government and environmental studies in 2022.

She was preceded in death by her father in 2016. She is survived by her mother and her brother, Austin.

The post Sydney Towle, Who Shared Her Cancer Journey on TikTok, Dies at 26 appeared first on Gazette Review.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that he was discovered approximately 5,700 meters up the mountain, alongside three other bodies.

Purja’s company, Elite Expeditions, officially announced his death on Saturday, saying he was among the 10 individuals who lost their lives in the avalanche.

His older brother, Kamal, also confirmed in a statement that his beloved younger brother is no longer with us.

Purja, who previously served in the British Army, became known after climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks in just a few months in 2019.

According to the Alpine Club, the recovered bodies will be taken to a Japanese camp by a ground team.

Before Purja’s death was announced, officials had discovered the bodies of three other climbers from the same expedition – Pur Bahadur Gurung from Nepal, Mallory Geis from the U.S., and Nadhira Ahmed from Oman.

Since the news of his death, many have paid tribute online, including Prince William, who described Purja as “one of the greatest mountaineers.”

Wes Streeting, the UK Defence Secretary, also described Purja as “an inspirational man who served with their military for several years” and offered his condolences.

Rescue teams have been searching the area for survivors since the avalanche on Thursday, which occured on the 26,400 ft peak in the Karakoram range.

The multi-national expedition was led by Purja, who at just 43 years of age, had set several mountaineering records.

Prior to his mountaineering career, he served in the British armed forces for 16 years. In 2018, he was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire by the late Queen Elizabeth II, for his outstanding achivements in mountaineering.

While serving in the army, Purja, who lived with his wife and young daughter in Hampshire, England, also became the first Gurkha to climb Mt. Everest.

In his final X post on Monday, he said climbing Broad Peak was never part of his original plan.

He had intended to climb only Gasherbrum II, another peak in the Karakoram range.

But before departing for Pakistan, he realized that if he also climbed Broad Peak, it would leave him just one mountain short of becoming the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders (mountains with peaks higher than 8,000 meters) twice without supplemental oxygen.

The post Body of Mountaineer Nirmal Purja Found After Avalanche appeared first on Gazette Review.

The fire, which was discovered on Friday, quickly grew to 26 square kilometers, forcing residents to evacuate.

Several properties have already been destroyed in the fire, according to Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) Chief Dan Wilson. The extent of the damage is not yet clear.

Amber Cardenas, who lives with her family on the OKIB reserve, is one of the many residents who lost their home in the wildfire.

She said they initially thought they were safe, as the fire was over 15 kilometers away from their property.

However, the wind eventually changed, causing the situation to deteriorate quickly. By Saturday afternoon, she and her neighbours were told to evacuate by firefighters.

Cardenas recalls grabbing what they could, including a few family heirlooms, and leaving.

According to Wilson, officials will still have to assess damage to the roads, water systems, and utilities, before coming up with a plan for when residents can return to the area.

Another Wildfire Grows In Size

On Monday, the evacuation order was expanded after another wildfire began to burn out of control near Okanagan Lake.

Officials ordered anyone in the Caesars Landing Area, approximately 25 kilometers away from Kelowna, to leave due to the blaze.

Several other regions including Cinnabar Creek, Secret Point, and Shelter Cove, have been given an evacuation alert.

The wildfire, which started on the weekend, was 5.5 square kilometers in size on Saturday. By then, it had already forced over 2,200 residents to evacuate.

Due to the fire, parts of Highway 97 remain closed.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, temperatures cooled slightly on Monday, which allowed firefighters to get closer to the blaze. The winds were also weaker than on the weekend.

At its worst, the Bradley Creek Fire grew quickly as winds hit up to 115 km per hour.

Over the weekend, more than 5,000 individuals were forced to leave their homes, as firefighters faced lightning and strong winds.

In the northwest, the French Bar Creek Fire has grown to over 370 square kilometers, while the Pear Lake wildfire, which is threatening communities in 70 Mile House and Clinton, has grown to 1150 square kilometers in size.

As of Monday morning, there were over 130 wildfires burning in B.C.

In total, 4,700 properties were given an evacuation order. Another 3,600 were placed under evacuation alert, meaning residents in the area should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

The post B.C. Wildfire Near Vernon Forces Thousands to Evacuate Despite Holding Size appeared first on Gazette Review.

During a Tuesday news briefing, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes explained that differing accounts from witnesses have made it difficult to determine exact identities.

He assured the public that once investigators sort out those details, they will share descriptions of the suspect or suspects involved.

According to Barnes, the violence broke out when a targeted gang conflict escalated into gunfire that spread into the surrounding crowd, leaving two people dead and four others wounded.

He added that none of the six victims had any connection to the shooters.

Chief Barnes emphasized that the people caught in the crossfire were completely innocent victims of a meaningless act of violence.

Police currently have a 15-year-old in custody and another shooter died in the gunfire, but officers believe there may still be other suspects involved.

The deceased shooter was identified as 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo, who investigators believe was tied to the teenager currently held in custody.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said on Monday that a third suspect might have been involved in the incident.

However, Chief Barnes reassured the community that the general public is not in danger, as the evidence indicates the shooting was a targeted attack rather than a random threat.

Here is a rephrased version that keeps the tone easy to read, uses no direct quotes, and breaks the details into clear, digestible paragraphs:

On Tuesday, police shared that a possible victim checked into the University of Washington with a suspected gunshot wound. However, laws prevent authorities from forcing the hospital to reveal their identity.

Because of this, detectives are urging the individual to contact them directly so they can conduct an interview.

While examining the crime scene, forensic teams collected 14 shell casings from two separate weapon calibers, according to Chief Barnes.

Police found three firearms at the scene, with evidence indicating that at least two of them were used in the shootout.

Barnes noted that one of the fired weapons, an untraceable ghost gun, was found on the 15-year-old suspect.

Officials said on Tuesday that detectives have already questioned all surviving victims alongside several witnesses, and they plan to conduct more interviews over the next few days.

Emergency crews were first called out to the Seattle Center around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. During a Monday briefing, Mayor Wilson clarified that authorities now know at least two individuals traded shots just outside the Seattle Center Armory.

According to Wilson, those two shooters were the teenager currently in custody and the 19-year-old who died.

Court documents show that officers actually detained the 19-year-old alongside the 15-year-old at the same time.

Legal filings from the teen’s detention hearing reveal that the pair got into a shootout with at least one other unidentified person, during which the 15-year-old allegedly shot straight into the crowd.

The post Multiple Suspects at Large Following Shooting at Seattle Food Festival appeared first on Gazette Review.

Justice Saini, the one who sentenced 40-year-old James Desborough, described the circumstances of his case as unique.

Saini, who gave an unusual life sentence, said Desborough was an extremely dangerous person who believed his victims were “worthless.”

According to Saini, Desborough killed his two friends because they were homeless and vulnerable; he thought they wouldn’t be missed even if they were gone due to their messy personal lives.

Saini said Desborough viewed the victims as beneath him. He went on to explain that handing out a life sentence is an extreme measure, reserved for cases of extreme severity.

Law enforcement in Devon and Cornwall said they are now looking back into the deaths of four individuals who stayed at a homeless shelter alongside Desborough and two of his victims.

Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley, who leads the major crime team, noted that while investigators currently do not suspect Desborough in those four deaths, the investigation is still ongoing.

Desborough murdered 57-year-old Claudio Aquilino and 43-year-old Daniel Coleman before dismembering their remains and concealing them in a wooded area near a remote shack, which he lived in periodically in southern Cornwall.

Later, while held at Exeter prison awaiting trial, he took the life of his 65-year-old cellmate, Steven Kempster, reportedly after growing angry over his snoring.

Throughout the sentencing hearing, grieving relatives shared statements that emphasized how much the victims were loved.

Coleman’s 14-year-old daughter shared that she had lost her place as a daddy’s girl and that she would never get to see his smile again. She spoke about how terrifying it was to imagine her father’s fear in his final moments, labeling Desborough a villain for his actions.

Aquilino’s family members remembered him as a skilled artist and a fantastic cook. While he suffered with addiction, he was deeply loved.

Speaking on Desborough’s behalf, defense lawyer Sean Brunton KC pointed out that his client had only a single prior offense on his record, which occurred two decades before these crimes.

The attorney described Desborough as a sharp, capable guy who had tons of potential. He also added that he had been polite and easy to deal with throughout the trial.

Aquilino and Coleman, both of whom struggled with long-term addiction, had previously stayed at the same Newquay shelter as Desborough in the Cornish surf region.

After taking their lives, Desborough used the dead men’s cash to buy himself alcohol and drugs.

While a forensic biologist was combing through the woods for evidence, Desborough casually mentioned to them that he had always especially enjoyed the dismemberment scenes in the serial killer show Dexter.

The post Killer Who Dismembered Bodies of Friends Given Life Sentence appeared first on Gazette Review.

The National Weather Service evaluated drone footage and damage reports, and gave the tornado an initial EF3 rating with peak winds near 140 mph.

Weather forecasters initially issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 11:13 a.m. for strong winds; they only mentioned a potential tornado in a subsequent alert at around 11:20 a.m.

This meant residents received no actual tornado warning before the storm hit.

Data from the Wisconsin State Climatology Office shows that this is the highest number of EF3 or stronger tornadoes the state has experienced in a single year since 1984.

According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes at the EF3 level carry extremely powerful winds ranging between 136 mph and 165 mph.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Menasha Police Chief Matthew Albrecht reported that all residents were accounted for and that there were only a small number of injuries.

He explained that the timing played a big role. Because the storm struck on a weekday afternoon, most residents were away at work rather than inside their homes.

After tearing through Menasha, the tornado traveled across Lake Winnebago before disappearing.

In Appleton, the tornado leveled homes and tore off entire roofs.

Aerial drone footage revealed that massive trees were also completely uprooted and split apart.

During the press briefing, Menasha Police Department liaison officer Matthew Roe said officials are still assessing the area, so the full count of damaged homes and buildings is not yet clear.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers issued a state of emergency on Tuesday to help bring relief resources to the affected communities across Eastern Wisconsin.

Officials in Menasha declared a state of disaster while emergency crews worked across the area to evaluate the damage.

Neenah, a nearby city, also issued its own state of emergency after experiencing severe building damage, fallen power lines, uprooted trees, blocked roads, and widespread power outages.

To keep the area secure, the Menasha Police Department put a citywide curfew in place from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. that will remain active until further notice; residents were also placed under a temporary boil water advisory.

Footage captured in Menasha showed houses with torn-off roofs, buildings stripped down to their frames surrounded by rubble, and fallen utility poles alongside uprooted trees. One clip even captured an overturned car resting along the side of a road.

The post Northeast Wisconsin Tornado Tears Off Roofs and Cuts Power to Thousands appeared first on Gazette Review.

Many individuals at a nearby factory also remain unaccounted for, after the chimney collapsed.

Another person was killed when their house came down during the quake.

Video footage shared by NHK showed multiple fires, damaged buildings, as well as derailed trains, in the area.

Chiharu Hara, a 35-year-old who was working in Kumamoto at the time, said she was terrified when the quake struck.

She recalls the office swaying side by side and said everyone was scared that it would all come down.

The 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck at approximately 4:27pm local time, reached seven on Japan’s Shindo scale, which measures the seismic intensity of earthquakes.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 6.8.

A series of aftershocks followed, including one with a magnitude of 6.1.

While Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year, the majority of them cause little damage.

Damage From the Quake

Several roads remained closed due to the earthquake; shinkansen train services were also suspended.

Kumamoto airport also halted operations for several hours before re-opening in the evening.

Two local hospitals took in at least 50 injured individuals each, many of whom were rescued from under large debris.

The hospital themselves also suffered damage – including electrical system issues and water leaks.

Officials confirmed that 10 people were also injured at a nearby nursing home for the elderly.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed on X that there have been several fatalities, building collapses, road damage, fires, and water and power outages.

To help with rescue efforts, Japan’s military deployed 3,600 service members directly to the impacted zone; 20 aircraft were also sent to assess the damage from the air, according to the defense minister.

A tsunami alert was initially issued following the main quake, but was withdrawn at around 6:10 pm.

Parts of a wall at the Kumamoto Castle in Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, also collapsed; the scene could be seen in a video clip which has since been shared online.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed that there were no abnormalities at the local plants.

According to Kyushu Electric Power, about 45,000 households and facilities had no power in the region.

However, the firm said the three nuclear reactors operating in the region are functioning normally.

The post At least One Dead After 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan appeared first on Gazette Review.

According to investigators, 47-year-old Kristopher Karolkiewicz took his own life after killing his 39-year-old wife, Amanda “Mandy”, and their six children.

While the names of the children have not been released, officials shared that the siblings included two 11-year-old girls and four boys, ages 5, 11, 12, and 15. Four of the children were biological, while two were adopted into the family.

During a press conference on Monday, Captain Jake Sparks shared how deeply the incident hit the community; he noted that while they might never fully understand why this happened, police are doing everything they can to get answers.

The scene took place on Friday morning near Lake Michigan, just west of Grand Rapids. Firefighters arrived at the scene after receiving reports about a smoke smell. Initially, they couldn’t determine which house was on fire.

Crews were called back to the house several hours later when neighbors reported seeing white smoke.

Firefighters went inside to fight the blaze and found all eight family members deceased in different bedrooms throughout the home; several family pets, including dogs and at least one cat, also died.

Detectives believe the tragedy actually started the night before. They believe Kristopher used a handgun to kill his family before setting the house on fire.

Investigators found that flames were intentionally set in multiple spots, with the worst damage down in the basement.

Captain Sparks confirmed that police aren’t looking for any outside suspects, as all the evidence points to a murder-suicide.

He emphasized that the department is working hard to find answers for the extended family, the local community, and the first responders who dealt with the scene.

The couple had first met in 2008 while working together at a beverage company and started dating later that summer.

They welcomed their first child on April 25, 2011, a day she described on her blog as the best day of her life.

Over the next four years, the couple had two more sons.

During this time, Mandy transitioned from working in banking to a part-time job at a local insurance agency before eventually stepping away from work outside the home entirely. They eventually expanded their family through adoption.

Mandy’s blog posts frequently highlighted her strong Christian faith, the joy she found in family life, and her deep appreciation for her husband. In 2015, she praised Kris’s devotion to their children, describing him as a selfless father-figure for their kids.

Kris said he felt just as lucky. Heading into their tenth anniversary back in 2019, he posted on Facebook about how grateful he was for the life they’d built together.

The post Michigan Father Kills Wife and Six Kids In Murder-Suicide appeared first on Gazette Review.