An Amtrak commuter had a nasty fall when he stepped of the train early Friday morning at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
He missed the platform and fell 4 to 5 feet to the tracks below.
The man, who appeared to be in his 40s, suffered multiple leg injuries.
Fire crews rescued him and took him to the hospital for treatment.
It may not destroy your soul, but it turns out heavy metal music can be hazardous to your brain. At least in some rare cases.
German doctors say they have treated a Motorhead fan whose headbanging habit ultimately led to a brain injury, but that the risk to metal fans in general is so small they don't need to give up the shaking.
Last January, doctors at Hannover Medical School saw a 50-year-old man who complained of constant, worsening headaches. The patient, who was not identified, had no history of head injuries or substance abuse problems but said he had been headbanging regularly for years — most recently at a Motorhead concert he attended with his son.
After a scan, doctors discovered their patient had a brain bleed and needed a hole drilled into his brain to drain the blood. The patient's headaches soon disappeared. In a follow-up scan, the doctors saw he had a benign cyst which might have made the metal aficionado more vulnerable to a brain injury.
"We are not against headbanging," said Dr. Ariyan Pirayesh Islamian, one of the doctors who treated the man. "The risk of injury is very, very low. But I think if (our patient) had (gone) to a classical concert, this would not have happened."
Islamian said the violent shaking of the head in headbanging can sometimes be enough to cause damage as the brain bumps up against the skull and noted a handful of previous injuries, also in heavy metal fans. The latest case was described in a report published online Friday in the journal Lancet.
Motorhead is a British metal band known for helping create the "speed metal" genre, which inspires extremely fast headbanging. Islamian described the band as "one of the most hard-core rock 'n' roll acts on earth."
Doctors said headbangers shouldn't be discouraged from enjoying their favorite bands.
"There are probably other higher risk events going on at rock concerts than headbanging," noted Dr. Colin Shieff, a neurosurgeon and trustee of the British brain injury advocacy group Headway. "Most people who go to music festivals and jump up and down while shaking their heads don't end up in the hands of a neurosurgeon."
Islamian agreed heavy metal fans shouldn't necessarily skip the headbanging.
"Rock 'n' roll will never die," he said. "Heavy metal fans should rock on."
Hurricane Arthur will make a mess of things early in the day for a lot of people, but don't fret because the rain will move out and you can move on with your Fourth of July activities.
Here's a quick look at when the NBC10 First Alert Weather team expects skies to clear in different parts of the viewing area:
Noon: The Poconos
People here will be the first to see skies clear. Light rain continues this morning, but should be done by midday.
1 p.m.: North and West Suburbs
2 p.m.: Philly and neighborhoods that hug I-95 in and around the city.
Some neighborhoods are not seeing much rain at all in the early morning, but many will. The heaviest rain occurs between 10 and 11 a.m. and there could be pockets of possible downpours. You should not see more than 1/4" of rain, overall.
2 p.m.: Jersey Shore & Delaware Beaches
Beachgoers today will experience the worst of Hurricane Arthur's impact. Most of the shore areas will see clearing by 2 p.m., although some scattered showers may linger until 4 p.m.
Even after the rain clears, it will still be windy, with gusts upward of 30 to 35 miles an hour.
High surf warnings persist through late afternoon on Saturday. Swimmers beware.
Philadelphia is jam packed with 4th of July activities, which means plenty of road closures and detours in the area.
The Party on the Parkway 4th of July Concert featuring Nicki Minaj, the Roots, Ed Sheeran, and many more means thousands will flock towards the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Closures are in effect around the Parkway, from Arch Street to Pennsylvania Avenue and 18th to 25th streets, from 5 a.m. to around 5 a.m. on Saturday.
In the historic district, in preparation for the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony and Independence Day Parade near Independence Hall, closed are: 5th and 6th streets, from Market to Walnut, beginning at 5 a.m.; Chestnut Street, between Front and 5th streets, starting at 7 a.m.
All streets affected by the closures are scheduled to be reopened in the historic district by 5 p.m. on July 4th and in the Parkway vicinity by 6 a.m. on July 5th.
From 10:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., additional road closures include the following:
Due to the mass of people traveling, city officials are really encouraging people to use public transit. All SEPTA Regional Rail, bus, trolley, and Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line services will operate on a Sunday schedule on July 4th, with additional late-night service to accommodate concert-goers.
Bus routes also will be detoured in the immediate area as following:
Bus lines and roads are scheduled to be restored after midnight.
To stay updated on the latest traffic and travel alerts check the NBC10.com Traffic Page.
Philadelphia's new fire commisioner -- concerned that another food truck explosion could occur amidst the thousands of people attending the Wawa Welcome America Festival -- ordered inspections of all the propane tanks being used by vendors along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
"These propane tanks cook our food," said Nate Pennachietti of Innovative Catering Concepts. "Without those nobody would be eating on the Parkway."
On Tuesday, a propane tank on the back of a food truck exploded, critically injuring five people, including a mother and her teenage daughter. Investigators believe that tank was leaking and the blast was set off by a grill inside the truck.
The same tanks are a common site with food trucks and vendors participating in large events like Welcome America.
Despite the fire commisioner's concerns, many revelers were too preoccupied with securing the best spot to take in the evening's show -- which included performances by Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran and The Roots -- to notice the potential danger.
"I'm coming here rain, sleet, snow. I don't care, thunderstorms, I'm still here," said Dandre Cornelius of Clarksville, Tenn.
As Cornelius and others waited for the concert to kick off, officials with the Philadelphia Fire Department and the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections went from truck to truck to conduct thorough inspections.
"We are confident that we are not going to have any propane problems on the Parkway," said Philadelphia Fire Dept. Chief Anthony Hudgins.
And the vendors appreciated their efforts after the scary explosion Tuesday.
"Every stand has two or three tanks," Pennachietti said. "They are doing the extra job of checking every nozzle and every tank."
The city of Philadelphia does not mandate inspections for propane tanks, although in some other major cities like Boston and Chicago, the fire department is charged with that responsibility.
18 American and 18 Northern Irish teenagers have been charged with pacifying generations of violence, prejudice, and hate. Delaware is the breeding ground for that peace mission.
A Google search for "The Troubles" results in a multitude of links with information regarding one subject: the political, religious, and economic-related conflicts in Northern Ireland.
The issues within the country came to a head in 1921 when the Republic of Ireland formed an independent nation and the province of Ulster in the north decided to remain with Britain.
But the divide affected more than just geography. Since the Republic of Ireland was mainly Catholic and the northern province was mainly Protestant, the new border lines effectively segregated the country over religious beliefs.
The split created tense interpersonal relations between the Catholics and the Protestants, and evolved into a series of violent interactions between extremist groups known as "The Troubles," which has led to the death of approximately 3,500 individuals since 1969.
The general perception is that the Troubles ended with paramilitary cease-fires in 1994 and the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but religious and social segregation still exists in Northern Ireland.
Ulster Project Delaware (UPD) aims to end that.
Founded in 1976, it is the longest, continuously running Ulster Project in the United States. A project of Pacem in Terris (peace on Earth), its goal is to "promote reconciliation between Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants by fostering tolerance, understanding and friendship among future leaders," according to their website.
Every summer a group of Northern Irish teens and four adult leaders spend the month of July with host families in Wilmington, Delaware. The teens range from 14 to 16-years-old. Half are girls, half are boys.
One half is Catholic. The other half is Protestant.
The UPD 2014 group came together Saturday, June 28 when the 18 Northern Irish teens arrived and met their host families. They got off the bus and were greeted by the American teens and their families holding up posters welcoming them to Delaware. They went home to recover from jet lag and the next day they sat down with program leaders to learn what was in store for them over the next four weeks.
The entire month of July is filled with activities for the teens. They sight see in D.C., New York, and Philadelphia. They have days devoted to service in the community, as well as "Discovery Days," that allow the group to explore the nature of prejudice and ways to defeat it. The teens attends not only a Catholic Mass and a Protestant Service, but also visit a synagogue, a mosque, a Friends meeting house, and the Amish.
They also get to participate in social events (the meeting on Sunday was followed by a pool party) that help both Northern Irish and American teens “create enduring friendships and mutual understanding.”
Through their month of adventures, Northern Irish teens learn that there is more to a person than what kind of service they attend. And that is the message they take with them back to Northern Ireland.
According to the Ulster Project's website, at the end of the 2012 Project over 8,000 youth had participated. None of them have become involved in a paramilitary terrorist group.
For more information, visit their website.
At least one person is hurt after shots rang out on a North Philly street Friday.
Bullets struck a 23-year-old man multiple times on the 2500 block of Ridge Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. The victim suffered gunshot wounds to his head, left arm and groin.
Police transported the man to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he is in critical condition.
Authorities did not recover a weapon from the scene and no arrests have been made.
Officials say two male suspects fled west on Ridge Avenue in a white Chevy Caprice.
Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.
A man is in critical condition after his intoxicated girlfriend runs him over with a car during a fit of rage.
The woman ran her boyfriend down at a Sunoco gas station near the intersection of Washington Lane and Fayette Street in Philadelphia's West Oak Lane neighborhood just after 10 p.m. Friday, according to authorities.
Police say they belive she intentionally hit him with the vehicle.
The victim was transported to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he remains in critical condtion.
Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.
Didn't have a chance to catch the news? Here's yesterdays top stories.
Bathing Beauties: Historic Photos of Jersey Shore Sunbathers
Historic photos of Jersey Shore residents at the beach.
Storms moving through our region this holiday weekend forced some communities to postpone their 4th of July celebrations
Body Found Near Ocean City Believed to be Missing Teen: Police
Police are searching for the gunman who shot two teenagers in the Kensington section of the city.
Investigators say a 14-year-old boy and 19-year-old man were on the 2000 block of East Atlantic Street in the Kensington section of the city shortly after midnight when an unidentified gunman opened fire.
Both teens were struck in the legs. They were taken to Temple University Hospital where they are both in stable condition.
No arrests have been made. Police have not yet released a description of the suspect.
A TSA K-9 was found safe after she went missing from her owner’s home.
BiBi, a 7-year-old police dog, escaped from the backyard of her handler and owner, an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department. The K-9 went through the hole of a chain-link fence around 6 p.m. Friday.
On Saturday, police announced that BiBi was found and in good condition.
Police found a man who went missing during the Philly 4th of July Jam on the Ben Franklin Parkway.
Travon Henderson, 24, of Harrisburg, Pa., was on the 2300 block of the parkway around 10:30 p.m. on Friday while his family members were waiting at a food stand. Henderson then wandered off.
Investigators say Henderson is mentally challenged and walks with a limp on his right side, dragging his right foot. According to family members, the concert was the first time he has ever been in Philadelphia.
Police say he was found in good condition on Saturday and reunited with his family.
A Philadelphia community is reeling after a 3-alarm fire raced through a Southwest Philly block early Saturday morning, displacing 32 people and killing 4-year-old twin girls, a 4-year-old boy and a 1-month-old infant.
One-month-old Taj Jacque and his older brother, Patrick Sanyeah, along with twin sisters Maria and Marialla Bowah perished in the massive blaze, which engulfed the 6500 block of Gesner Street shortly after 2:30 a.m. Saturday.
Dewen "Marie" Bowah, 41, was watching her twin girls, their siblings Naomi Bowah, Julie Bowah and Julisa Bowah, and babysitting Taj and Patrick at 6518 Gesner St. when a neighbor, Jeff Boone, stepped outside and noticed a yellow glow coming from the porch next door.
Boone, of the 6500 block of Gesner Street, says the yellow glow -- which may have been sparked by a firecracker -- quickly turned into a full-fledged fire, engulfing a couch on the porch of 6516 Gesner St.
He says he called 911 and ran screaming down the street to wake up his neighbors. He was making his way to the firehouse just around the corner when he heard cries for help from young children trapped inside 6518 Gesner St.
"I heard them in there screaming," Boone said. "The flames were so high and intense that I couldn't go over there."
Dewen helped Naomi, Julie and Julisa escape by leaping through a second-floor window, but Dewen's niece says her aunt was unable to reach the remaining four children.
"She tried to take the kids," Nudde Saya said. "But the fire was everywhere, so she throw the oldest kids out the window and she jumped out the window."
One by one, the wooden porches on the two-story rowhomes went up in flames. Cars parked across the street melted from the heat and windows became disfigured.
Abu Marrah, who lives at 6512 Gesner St., was awakened by his wife and the sound of blaring smoke detectors. Black smoke swirled through his house as he ran around, partially clothed, to find the source. It was then that he realized the fire was spreading from his neighbor's house.
"Some people ran to the fire station and some people called 911," Marrah said.
Located about a block away, Ladder 4 Engine 40 arrived at the scene about three minutes after the call went out at 2:45 a.m., according to Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer.
"It was a tough fire fight. Heavy heat and smoke conditions," said Sawyer, who added that the call initially came in as a rubbish fire.
"They tried to contain the fire to the four homes," he continued. "But at some point, the fire extended to eight homes."
Neighbors said the street turned chaotic as they along with responding police and firefighters tried to determine whether people were inside the homes.
"I was sleeping and I had seen the fire," said Keisha Burgess, another resident. "I just woke up and grabbed my kids. The fire was just spreading and it was just everywhere, house to house. I had to wake up, bring my kids out and just get out."
Witnesses tell NBC10 they heard firecrackers go off moments before the fire began.
Sawyer said the Fire Department is investigating those claims, but both he and Mayor Michael Nutter said in a press conference Saturday afternoon that it was too early to say what caused the blaze.
Instead Nutter emphasized how deeply saddened he is by the loss of Maria, Marialla, Taj and Patrick.
"We lost four precious lives, four little, innocent children in a horrific tragedy on this street," Nutter said. "I feel a great pain."
"I can only pray that their pain was not long, that they did not truly feel and experience the intensity of this fire and the flames," he continued. "We pray for their souls and that God be with them."
Four others, including Dewen, and the mother of Taj and Patrick, 23-year-old Eleanor Jacque, were taken to the hospital. Dewen is in critical condition at Crozier Chester Medical Center.
The conditions of Jacque and the other two victims who were hospitalized is unknown.
The deadly blaze displaced 32 others, according to the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
"This is an incredibly sad day for our community," said Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes, CEO of the Red Cross of Southeastern Pa. "Anytime there's a death due to fire it's significant for our community. I can't tell you how hard this is on first responders, on our volunteers but most importantly on these families. We have been providing spiritual care and mental health care to address their immediate trauma."
The agency provided 28 people with financial assistance for items like food,clothing, shoes and medications. Eighteen are staying at the Red Cross House, a short-term recovery center in Philadelphia's University City neighborhood.
Hughes encouraged victims of the fire who have not yet come forward to contact the Red Cross at 215-299-4899.
1-month-old Taj Jacque and 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah.
LISTEN: Scanner traffic as firefighters arrived at the scene of the fire:
A street view of the impacted homes prior to Saturday's fire. Credit: Trulia.com.
Candles, teddy bears and Spider-Man balloons were placed on the railing at 6518 Gesner St.
Twin sisters Maria and Marialla Bowah always greeted their neighbors along the 6500 block of Genser Street with a smile.
"I always call them Pink Ladies. They like wearing pink," neighbor Abu Marrah said. "Oh, every time they have barrettes on their heads, they're pink. Pink sandals. They're sweet."
Marrah, like many neighbors, grinned ear to ear as he described the 4-year-old girls who perished in an intense fire that burned along this small street overnight Saturday.
The sisters along with two boys -- 1-month-old Taj Jacque and 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah -- were trapped in the basement of a home at 6518 Genser, officials said. The boys were killed as well.
Standing a few feet tall, with short hair and bowed legs, the girls were always playing outside, neighbors said. And never apart.
"You know, the funniest thing, You can't identify them. They are so alike," Marrah said. "When you see one of them, you see the other."
"They would call me Grandpa. They would see me and say 'Grandpa, Grandpa, Grandpa,'" said Benjamin Wilson, who lives down the block and across the street.
"They play right there," he said pointing to the sidewalk covered with charred debris.
Hours before Loraine Kamara saw them playing in the same spot on her way to work.
"One of the twins was swinging her dress. The little boy was playing nearby," she said. "They were just playing and that's the last memory I have of them."
Eight homes were destroyed in the fire and 32 people displaced. Besides the physical losses, neighbors say loosing the girls will leave a permanent mark on this block.
"The Fourth of July isn't ever going to be the same," Jeff Boone said. "I saw then 7 o'clock, I saw them 8 o'clock, I saw them 10 o'clock. They were always out there."
