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Caught on Cam: Food Truck Explosion


Man Killed After Motorcycle and Truck Collide

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A man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Northeast Philadelphia.

The victim, who police say was in his 20’s, was riding his motorcycle shortly before 7 p.m. on the 9800 block of Frankford Avenue when he collided with a truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the truck stayed at the scene of the crash. Investigators have not yet revealed the cause of the accident or the identity of the victim.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Does Social Media Really Boost Business?

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Suggesting the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the Divine Lorraine on Facebook, sharing their Twitter followers photos of Philadelphia and posting images of their product on Instagram are just a few of the ways Philly-based clothing company Aphillyated uses social media to market their brand.

“Without social media, our brand would not have been able to reach customers in over 60 different countries,” said 24-year-old Vincent Sannuti, who cofounded the Philly-centric brand with his 26-year-old brother Nicholas in May 2010.

The siblings, who grew up steps from the city limits in Lower Moreland, use social media far more than traditional advertising to market their retail business, well-known for its t-shirts emblazoned with the city skyline. 

Nicholas estimates the pair, along with their four employees, spend a total of 20 hours a week planning their presence on social media, but only dedicate about five hours a week towards traditional advertising.

But local experts, and even the Sannuti brothers, warn that their marketing strategy is not going to pay off for every business.

“It comes down to what type of business they are,” Nicholas said. “You have to be able to reach your target market.”

The heavy investment in social media marketing works for Aphillyated because it is an online only business trying to reach teens and young adults, who are native to social media, Vincent said.

Earl Boyd of Entrepreneur Works, a nonprofit microenterprise development firm, suggests new entrepreneurs view social media as a complement to other advertisements.

“Social media alone just isn’t enough,” Boyd said. “You can build engagement; possibly build some awareness that helps your sales efforts. But, for the most part, that alone doesn’t drive sales.”

And research on the success of social media outreach is inconclusive.

“We don’t know statistically speaking if it provides more significant returns when it comes to economics,” said Pinar Yildirim, a social media marketing expert from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

“It allows you to reach out to a wide variety of customers, some that may have never heard of them,” Yildirim continued. “But a consumer may be following them on social media, exposed to the actions of the firm, and that doesn’t mean they will go buy the product.”

Vincent and Nicholas, say they have been able to leverage the platforms by continuously monitoring the changes Facebook, Twitter and Instagram make to their platforms and regularly tracking what drives customers to their site.

“We can track everything down to the actual checkout of the customer,” said Nicholas, who added that sales continue to rise month-over-month even though the firm is spending less on advertising.

Despite their success, the Sannuttis still advise other businesses to evaluate the best plan for them.

“Some people think social media is the end all be all,” Nicholas said. “You really want content that can spread and go viral. If you keep it cut and dry, it isn’t going to work in the digital age.”


Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

12 Hurt, 2 Critical in Food Truck Explosion

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A propane tank exploded inside a food truck in Feltonville on Tuesday, severely burning one woman and injuring at least 11 other people.

Around 5:30 p.m., the tank on the left side rear of the La Parrillada Chapina truck on 3rd Street and Wyoming Avenue ignited and flew about 50 feet into a nearby backyard, according to police. Flames shot about 200 feet in the air, shaking nearby homes and businesses. Officials say 12 people in all were injured.

Of the 12 victims, a 27-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl are in critical condition. The woman suffered second and third-degree burns to her entire body. Four other victims are in stable condition, while six other people were treated and released. One of the released victims was Latoya Page, who suffered first degree burns to the left side of her body.

"I turned around and saw the fire coming toward me," she said. "I fell, got back up and started running again." 

Shaquille Glover, one of the witnesses, told NBC10 what he heard was almost as horrific as what he saw.

"The sounds of the screams," Glover said. "I'll never forget that."

Glover was about to go inside his home on Wyoming when he heard the blast.

"I heard a loud boom like a bomb," Glover said. "So I turned around and this truck just started instantly smoking. The propane splashed all the way across the street on a pole. That's why the pole was on fire and people that were walking by got burned. A lady got burned on her back. Another lady got burned on her face. It was just the sounds of the screams. There was a good two minutes of screams before the cops even came."

Police say a mother and daughter were working inside the truck during the explosion.

"We noticed that somebody was sitting at the table still that was burned, but the smoke was just going past her and getting to us," Glover said. "They said they couldn't touch her because she was burned. Two minutes later, they grabbed her and put her in the ambulance."

Nicole Ellis, who lives in the same home as Glover, told NBC10 she felt her house shake. 

"We thought something fell over," Ellis said. "Then all of a sudden we heard screams. We walked outside and the truck was billowing fire."

Ellis claimed she heard from other witnesses that one of the victims was ejected out of the truck from the force of the explosion.

"A girl was walking by from the nail salon and her whole back got sprayed with debris," Ellis said. "She was screaming all the way up the street, 'I'm on fire! I want my mom! I want my mom!' And then a man sitting on his porch actually got caught with fire as well. It was pretty bad."

Ellis then called 911 in a panic.

"I was screaming and yelling on the phone," Ellis said. "I started panicking, because the lady was just sitting there and she was on fire. You could see the fire coming from her body." 

SEPTA Police Officers heard the explosion from their building across the street and responded to the scene for help. Responding firefighters were able to control the flames.

Wyoming between 3rd and 4th streets remains blocked off while the backyard where the propane landed is being treated as a crime scene.

The Bomb Squad, east detectives and the Fire Marshal's Office are all investigating to determine the cause of the explosion.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Vigil Held for Philly Teen Missing in Ocean

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A beachside vigil was held on Tuesday for a teenager who disappeared in the Jersey Shore surf.

Friends and family of 14-year-old Corinthian Hammond gathered at the 9th Street beach in Ocean City Tuesday afternoon.

Monday night, the coast guard suspended its rescue effort for the Philadelphia teen. Hammond vanished while swimming with a group of friends Sunday evening. The search focused mainly between the 6th and 12th Street beaches on Monday. 

"After the Coast Guard searched for approximately 20 hours, covering more than 20 square miles with multiple search assets by air and sea, we have suspended our search for the missing boy in Ocean City," said Capt. Kathy Moore, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, in Philadelphia.

"Our sincerest condolences go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time."

The Coast Guard says a group of friends were swept by a rip current near the 9th Street beach in Ocean City around 7:00 p.m. Sunday. A family had been swimming in the water near a rock jetty after lifeguards left for the day.

"My daughter heard people yell -- help, help," said one witness.

After hearing those cries for help, a Good Samaritan jumped into the ocean. The Coast Guard does not plan to resume the search unless there's a development or sighting. Local firefighters checked the shoreline Tuesday morning but didn't find the teen.

The Ocean City Rapid Response Team was able to recover up to 14 people from the waters Sunday night. Some of them had gone into the ocean to save those struggling but got caught in the current as well. Witness Lauren Turner saw two rescued boys walk from the beach to the boardwalk with paramedics. But Hammond, who was wearing white swimming shorts, remained missing.

Witnesses told NBC10 that a woman believed to be the boy's mother broke down when authorities informed her there was still no sign of the teen.

"Everyone was upset," said witness Tyler Swann.

The search assets consisted of a 25-foot U.S. Coast Guard boat, a helicopter and a ground search by the Ocean City Fire Department combed the beach. A marine unit from the New Jersey State Police from Atlantic City also aided.


Contact Sarah Glover at 610-668-5580, sarah.glover@nbcuni.com or follow @skyphoto on Twitter.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

2-Year-Old Girl Survives 3-Story Fall

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A 2-year-old girl is recovering but still alive after she fell three stories from a Wilmington, Delaware home on Tuesday.

Police say the toddler was on the third floor of a home on the 200 block of N. Broom Street around 6:30 p.m. when she accidentally fell out of a window.

The girl landed on a box spring that had been thrown out behind the home, according to police, which likely saved her life.

The unidentified girl was taken to the hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. She is currently in stable condition.

Police continue to investigate the incident. No charges have been filed.
 

2 Teens, 3 Adults Shot on Basketball Court

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A barrage of bullets whizzed across a Delaware County basketball court early Wednesday morning hitting five people, including two teens.

The victims were standing around or playing basketball at a court along the 1400 block of West Congress Street in Chester, Pa. around midnight when the gunfire erupted, Chester Police tells NBC10.com. Everyone on the court scrambled for cover, but five people were hit.

A 14-year-old girl was struck in the right foot, a 14-year-old boy was hit in the right leg, a 20-year-old man and 31-year-old man were also hit in the legs and a 35-year-old man suffered wounds to his back and right thigh, police said.

All of the victims were taken to nearby Crozer-Chester Medical Center. They are listed in stable condition.

Chester Police and Delaware County Detectives are investigating the shooting. They have not released a possible motive or information as to may be responsible.

Officials are asking anyone with information to call 610.447.8433.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Homeowner Pistol Whipped by 2 Masked Men

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A homeowner was pistol whipped during a overnight home invasion in North Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Police say two men, wearing ski masks, barged into a home along the 2300 block of North 20th Street around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

The men stole an undisclosed amount of cash and other goods before pistol whipping the homeowner, police say. They then ran off.

Police haven't yet released a description of the suspects. They remain on the loose.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Philly-Area Colleges Among Nation's Priciest

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Three private colleges in the greater Philadelphia area are among the priciest to attend in the country according to the U.S. Department of Education’s latest College Affordability and Transparency list. But the local schools say the latest rankings unfairly characterize the cost of attendance.

The net price of attending Drexel University is $35,948 while St. Joseph’s University followed closely behind with a net price of $35,408, according to the latest figures for the 2011-2012 school year.
Muhlenberg College also made the list with the net price of attendance listed at $32,841.

The figures put the three Philly-area schools above the $20,247 net price of attendance reported as the national average for all private, not-for-profit 4-year or more schools.

“But the formula inadvertently penalizes schools that administer financial aid the way we do,” said Joseph Lunardi, spokesman for St. Joseph’s.

Officials with Muhlenberg back up Lunardi’s critique.

“The flaw in the government’s list… is that they do a rather simplistic equation that simply takes total cost of attendance and subtracts average grant/scholarship to get a net price for aided students,” said Chris Hooker-Haring, Muhlenberg’s Dean of Admission and Financial Aid.

Drexel officials did not return requests for comment.

Lunardi criticizes the study model, which calculates the net cost for the students who receive financial assistance from the institution, or federal, state or local governments and excludes everyone who does not receive aid.

The structure means a school will receive a higher-ranking if only a paltry number of students receive a free ride because that vastly lowers the cost of attendance for the small population receiving aid.

“Our mission is to try and make education as accessible as possible to the most number of families,” Lunardi said. “If you award fewer dollars to more recipients, you come out with a higher net price…while helping more families.”

According to the study, 96 percent of St. Joe’s undergrads received grant or scholarship aid.

At Drexel University, 98 percent of undergrads were awarded financial assistance, while 79 percent of Muhlenberg’s students were, the report shows.

“As with all such equations, you can decide how you are going to figure something, and then simply report out the results,” Hooker-Haring said. “But that doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story, or even an entirely accurate story.”

On the public side, seven of Penn State University's campuses make the highest net price of attendance list, as well as Temple University. In the Garden State, the College of New Jersey and the Richard Stockon College of New Jersey are the most expensive.

To see the full list of schools, visit the U.S. Department of Education's website.

Bail Reduced for McDonald's Worker in Taped Beating

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A McDonald's worker jailed after allegedly being caught on video beating a young mother in front of her toddler has had her bail reduced.

Latia Harris is in custody in the Salem County Correctional Facility. The 25-year-old turned herself in to Salem City Police on Monday following a nearly week-long search.

The Salem McDonald's staffer allegedly severely beat her co-worker, 27-year-old Catherine Ferreira, in a field near the restaurant late last month. The entire attack was recorded by on-lookers using a smartphone and posted to the internet.

Police say Harris held down Ferreira and beat her before threatening the woman's 2-year-old son. The boy can be seen on the video trying to stop the assault. None of the other witnesses stepped in.

Authorities said the attack stemmed from a work-related issue.

Harris was charged with Aggravated Assault and two counts of Making Terroristic Threats and held on $35,000 bail.

That bail was reduced to $20,000, according to the correctional facility's reporting system. She remains in the county prison.

A no contact order is in place between Harris and Ferreira.



Photo Credit: Salem Police Department

Pilot Program for Scooter, Motorcycle Parking Announced

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The Philadelphia Parking Authority announced Wednesday its pilot program for parking scooters and motorcycles in the city.

The plan permits those drivers to park their vehicles on sidewalks on residential blocks -- even in Center City and University City -- and allows them to park free on commercial blocks at 47 designated corrals totaling 180 spaces.

A state law prohibits sidewalk parking, which the PPA cracked down on in busy Center City and West Philly neighborhoods last year. 

The change is likely the result of the nearly nine months the Authority spent working with a group of concerned drivers, the Motorcycle & Scooter Coalition.

The two groups' conversations also led the PPA to include a mechanism that allows owners to lock their scooters and motorcycles, or "motos," to a post at the corrals located on commercial blocks.

No payment is required in the commercial zones during the trial period, which technically began July 1 and will run through the end of October. However a parking fee structure is in the works, according to the Authority. 

Drivers who already paid for a virtual permit to park at the corrals may apply for a refund of the prorated remaining value.

The PPA also promised to "increase enforcement of other vehicles illegally parked in motorcycle/scooter zones," and create a webpage on its site that details the moto regulations and shows a map of parking space locations.

The Motorcycyle & Scooter Coalition called the program a "great step forward" and acknowleged the efforts of the PPA and other city agencies.

But the advocacy group hesitated to express full support.

"We do not feel this is a complete solution," the Coalition's statement reads. "We look forward to working toward a solution that works for everyone involved."

The Authority admits it is difficult to address every concern, as they must consider "each element of the system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, automobiles, mass transit vehicles, delivery vehicles as well as motorcycles and scooters [which] have a valid, though sometimes conflicting claim on the public space."

When the pilot program ends in October, PPA and the Coalition will evaluate its success.

To get the full details of the pilot program, visit PPA's blog.

Storm Moving Out, More Rain Thurs.

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Storms are slowly moving out of the region after lightning and heavy rain struck the area. The storms moved into the Philadelphia area about 7 p.m. Wednesday and traveled toward New Jersey. The stormy weather capped off a sweltering hot day with temperatures that felt like 100 degrees outside.

"The storms should be near the shore by 11 p.m.," said NBC10 First Alert Weather meteorologist Sheena Parveen. "After that, it looks pretty quiet overnight compared to this afternoon."

By 7 p.m., a flash flood warning was issued for Berks County and more than two inches of rain fell in the Poconos.

The severe thunderstorm pattern collided with the widespread 100-degree heat index around the Philadelphia region. Heavy lightning led to power outages across the area.

PECO OUTAGES

Bucks - 1202

Chester - 400

Montgomery - 2575

Philadelphia - 4237

Lightning was also likely to blame for a house fire in North Whales that forced a family of four out of their homes. The heavy storms also brought flash floods to the Reading area, causing traffic backups and forcing businesses to shut down.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties that was in effect until 9:00 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm watch was also in effect until 9:00 p.m. for Kent, New Castle and Sussex counties in Delaware and in New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Camden,  Ocean, Cape May, Monmouth, Burlington, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer and Salem.

The weather changes will continue Thursday with a flooding threat, severe thunderstorms and hot temperatures will remain. A flash flood watch is in effect for Thursday for most of the viewing area, but "Hurricane" says the afternoon will be the prime time.

Check out this crazy lightning strike caught by an Instagrammer @dpenugonda in New York City.

Leaking Gas Caused Food Truck Blast, 5 Still Critical

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Five people critically hurt when a propane tank on the back of a food truck exploded along a busy Philadelphia street remain hospitalized on Wednesday.

Olga Galdemez, 42, and her daughter Jaylin Landaverry, 17, were working inside their food truck, La Parrillada Chapina, at 3rd Street and Wyoming Avenue when the 100-pound tank blew around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The truck was equipped with two such tanks filled with gas.

Investigators believe propane vapor began leaking from one tank and filled the truck. A flame from the grill inside the mobile restaurant provided the spark, officials said. Witnesses told detectives they smelled gas before the blast.

The propane fueled a fireball that engulfed the truck, the street and surrounding sidewalks. One tank was blown 95 feet away into the backyard of a home nearby, police said.

Galdemez's husband spent 20 minutes at the scene of the explosion on Wednesday morning talking with investigators from the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The truck was properly licensed to operate, officials said.

He confirmed that his wife and her daughter remain in critical condition with severe burns on large parts of their bodies. Both are hospitalized at Temple University Hospital.

Philadelphia Police said eight other people were hurt when the tank exploded. Two relatives of Galdemez – a 13-year-old girl and 27-year-old woman – and a 23-year-old man who was walking by remain in critical condition at area hospitals. All others were treated and released for their injuries.

A car driving by when the propane ignited was enveloped in flames and damaged, but the 53-year-old female driver and a 3-year-old child inside were not hurt, police said.

The blast remains under investigation by the ATF's Arson and Explosives Task Force.


PHOTO: Olga Galdemez, 42, and her 17-year-old daughter, Jaylin Landaverry, pictured two years ago at the girl's quinceanera.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com/Family Photo

Wawa Hoagie Day

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Today is Wawa Hoagie Day at the National Constitution Center where they will be serving thousands of shorties for FREE.

Are Food Trucks Ticking Time Bombs?

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When it comes to Philadelphia's food trucks, is anyone safe?

The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections says there are more than 300 active, licensed mobile food vendors in Philadelphia.

Yet propane tanks, the most common item used to fuel grills and fryers on food trucks, are not inspected by any agency in the city.

Without mandatory oversight, mobile food business owners could be riding through your neighborhood carrying hundreds of pounds of liquefied petroleum gas in unsafe tanks, which at any time could explode.

Philadelphia Police say a leak caused a propane tank on the back of the La Parrillada Chapina food truck at 3rd Street and Wyoming Avenue to explode late Tuesday, sending 13 people — some sitting on the steps of a house across the street — to nearby hospitals with injuries. Five people were critically injured and remained hospitalized Wednesday.

Officials from the top agencies regulating the mobile food industry in Philadelphia, L&I and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, say there are no specific rules in place to ensure the safety and proper maintenance of propane tanks used on food trucks.

In order to open a mobile food business in Philadelphia, a business owner must first have their vehicle licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles and must obtain location approval, as well as food and vendor licensing from L&I.

Business owners must also obtain Food Safety Certifications and undergo rigorous food and equipment inspections by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health's Office of Food Protection.

All three departments, however, confirmed that they do not check propane tanks as a part of their food truck inspection process.

"We handle food safety and are not involved in fire safety issues," Department of Health spokesman Jeff Moran said.

Moran pointed to L&I.

L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams confirmed that the department conducted an audit inspection of the La Parrillada Chapina food truck less than a month ago on June 11.

That inspection, however, was limited to vending, location and proper licensing issues, the only areas L&I inspects for any mobile food vendor in the city.

"L&I regulates vending locations of where all trucks, trailers, food carts, etc. can legally sell products," Williams said. "L&I does not regulate or inspect the actual operation of the vehicle or it's mechanical components."

With no agency oversight, propane tank safety  falls into the hands of individual food truck owners, food truck suppliers and propane tank distributors like the South Philly Propane & Welding Company.

According to investigators, the La Parrillada Chapina food truck had two 100-pound propane tanks on the truck, one of which exploded and flew nearly 95 feet from the truck after a vapor leak was ignited by one of the truck's grills.

South Philly Propane owner Joseph Trantas said the 100-pound tanks hold roughly 23.5 gallons of propane. That's five times the size of the 4.7-gallon tanks typically used with home barbecue grills.

Trantas said any number of things could have led to the explosion.

"It looks like it ruptured, so it could have been a bad tank problem. These tanks get banged on the ground quite a bit, so the bottom could give out and cause a leak," he said.

According to Trantas, owners typically purchase propane tanks and come to companies like his to get them refilled an innumerable number of times. Trantas said his company has a checklist that it abides by — looking for dents, signs of corrosion and more — to make sure tanks are safe before refilling them.

Mobile food truck repairman Eri Meni said he personally knew the owner of the La Parrillada Chapina food truck, Olga Galdamez, and that he had installed a kitchen in the food truck less than a year ago.

Meni said owners have to be very vigilant when handling propane tanks.

"The owner must be very careful when they change the propane tanks because many people, in lunchtime that’s so busy, they go fast," he said.

"Many people make a lot of mistakes, but this is very important. If you don’t tie it good, the gas will leak, and any little spark, you’re gonna have the same thing happening."

Food truck owner and board member of the Philadelphia Mobile Food Truck Association George Bieber said the transport of propane tanks should also be monitored and regulated.

"I've had to drive my truck around, and it can be a bumpy ride," he said.

"One of the biggest things to consider with gas lines and things like that is that there could be some issues caused by that vibration and movement. I think that's something that needs to be thought about a little more."



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

IMAGES: Beat the 100 Degree Heat

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It's a hot sweltering day with high temperatures that feel like 100 degrees outside.

Police Charge Woman For Leaving Kids in Car

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The woman police say left five children, including two infants, inside an SUV in Port Richmond on one of the hottest days of the summer is now facing multiple charges. 

Karin Thompson, an in-home daycare operator, is charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child and five counts of recklessly endangering another person after authorities say she left five kids in an unlocked SUV with the air conditioner on for more than 20 minutes in a ShopRite parking lot late Tuesday morning.

A witness who parked next to the SUV heard some of the children crying and notified police immediately.

Thompson was found in the store and taken into custody.

The children, ranging in age from 6 months to 9 years, were transported to St. Christopher’s Hospital where they were evaluated and released to their parents. 

A check of Thompson's records from the State Department of Public Welfare show no violations and no complaints.

“She is a very trustworthy individual,” Shannon Black, mother of the youngest child said. “And I’m proud to trust my kids in her hands.”

Philadelphians React to Extreme Heat

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NBC10 caught up with people sweating it out in today's heat, and not many were enjoying it. NBC10's Jim Rosenfield has more.

911 Call for Boy Missing in Ocean Gave Wrong Info

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Three days after 14-year-old Corinthian Hammond disappeared in the Jersey Shore surf, there is still no sign of the Philadelphia teen. As the investigation into his disappearance continues, NBC10 obtained 911 calls made the day he was swept out to sea which reveal that the wrong information was initially reported to authorities.

Hammond was swimming with a group of friends near a beach early Sunday evening in Ocean City when they suddenly were swept away by a rip current. No lifeguards were on duty at the time. Several Good Samaritans went out into the water to rescue the group but became caught in the current as well.

The first 911 call was made around 6:44 p.m.

“There are people out here, they’re screaming for help at the shore!” the caller said. “Out here by the boardwalk, we need help out here.”

“I need to know where you are,” the operator said. “The boardwalk runs from 1st to 24th Street.”

“14th Street, boardwalk!” the caller replied.

It turns out however that Hammond and his friends were actually near the 9th Street beach. The call led to an initial response from Ocean City’s after-hours beach patrol crew from their headquarters at 12th Street. When they arrived at the 14th Street beach at 6:48 p.m., they saw nothing, as more calls came in. One caller told the dispatcher the teens were near the fishing pier. In reality they were by the music pier.

Another caller and reports from police officers on the boardwalk ultimately led lifeguards to the correct location.

“There are some kids drifting off into the ocean,” the caller said.

“14th Street?” The operator asked.

“This is 9th and the Boardwalk,” the caller said. “It looks like somebody is trying to go out there and save them but there are no lifeguards out here. Oh my God! Oh my God!”

Lifeguards arrived at the 9th Street beach at 6:50 p.m., five minutes after the initial call was made. Everyone was rescued except for Hammond, who had already vanished into the water. After searching the ocean for two days, the coast guard suspended the rescue effort for Hammond.

"After the Coast Guard searched for approximately 20 hours, covering more than 20 square miles with multiple search assets by air and sea, we have suspended our search for the missing boy in Ocean City," said Capt. Kathy Moore, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, in Philadelphia. "Our sincerest condolences go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time."

A spokesman for the Ocean City Police Department told NBC10 that the department will review the incident and likely make changes based on the investigation. Those changes may include placing more visible signs on the boardwalk letting people know exactly where they are.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Business Booming From Severe Heat

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We love our air conditioners this time of year, but what about when it breaks? NBC10's Keith Jones speaks with one man whose business fixing air conditioning business is thriving, while the work is grueling.
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