Emporia Kansas Fire Department

06/13/2026

🚒 Emporia Fire Department is at the Preparedness Fair today at the Lyon County Fairgrounds from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM!

Stop by and visit with firefighters about fire safety, emergency preparedness, and ways to help keep your family safe at home!

06/11/2026

🚧 Progress continues at Emporia Fire Department Station 2 as Phase 1 construction and expansion moves forward.

Walls are now up on both the new living areas and the new apparatus bay additions. Replacement of the high roofs on the existing apparatus bays is nearly complete, with additional roof work beginning soon on the existing low roofs and the new additions.

The storm shelter exterior walls and roof are also complete. These upgrades are designed to enhance firefighter safety, improve operational readiness, and support the long-term needs of the department and community. 🔥🚒

05/30/2026

The streets of downtown Emporia were filled with energy as the Emporia Police Department, Emporia Kansas Fire Department, Lyon County Sheriff's Office, Emporia State University Police, and Lyon County 911 helped safely lead out Unbound Gravel participants yesterday and early this morning. 🚴

Good luck to all cyclists taking on the miles ahead, and thank you to everyone who came downtown to cheer on riders and support the event atmosphere that makes Emporia special.

Thank you to the municipal airport staff for supporting Unbound operations in the sky. We appreciate Riley County Bike Patrol for their assistance in keeping riders and spectators safe downtown throughout the event.

And thank you to the City of Emporia Sanitation Division crews who were out early this morning preparing downtown for the finish line celebration and helping get the community ready for another exciting Unbound weekend. 👏

05/22/2026

Two fires. Two buildings. Two very different outcomes.

What a powerful reminder of the difference fire sprinklers can make.

In one incident, a fire sprinkler system activated quickly and controlled a kitchen fire before it could spread beyond the area of origin. Damage was limited, residents remained safe, and disruption to the building was minimal.

In another incident at a building without fire sprinklers, a fire grew unchecked and ultimately destroyed the structure, displacing multiple families.

Modern fire sprinkler systems are one of the most effective life safety tools available. They are designed to control or contain a fire in its early stages, buying critical time for occupants to escape and firefighters to respond.

Fire sprinklers don’t just protect buildings — they protect people, homes, memories, and communities.

Thank you to the National Fire Sprinkler Association - NFSA for sharing this important reminder.

05/21/2026

👏 Congratulations to the graduates of this year’s Public Safety Citizen’s Academy!

Thank you to all the participants who spent the past several weeks learning more about public safety operations in our community. We appreciate your time, engagement, and commitment to better understanding the work of our first responders.

A special thank you to the teams from the Emporia Police Department, Emporia Kansas Fire Department, Lyon County Sheriff's Office - Kansas, and Lyon County 911 for hosting this year’s academy and providing hands-on experiences and behind-the-scenes insight into the services that help keep our community safe every day. 🚓🚒📞

05/19/2026

Emporia, Kansas 05/19/2026 — Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 1349 Trailridge Drive, Emporia, Kansas for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, there was light smoke and a small fire observed on the front porch of this residence. Automatic aid was cancelled.

Fire Crews utilizing a single attack line were able to extinguish the fire quickly with no extension to the house. The house was ventilated due to light smoke going into the house while checking for extension.

Read the full press release at the link below.

Emporia, Kansas 05/19/2026 — Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 1349 Trailridge Drive, Emporia, Kansas for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, there was light smoke and a small fire observed on the front porch of this residence. Automatic aid was cancelled. 

05/18/2026

18 May, 2026 – Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 518 South Exchange Street for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, fire crews found light smoke and visible flames coming from the interior of the residence. On entry, heavy fire was found throughout the main floor.

The fire was contained and extinguished by fire crews using multiple hose lines. During the primary search of the structure, one deceased individual was located. The identity of the victim will be released at a later time by the appropriate agency, pending notification of family. The structure sustained heavy fire damage throughout.

Emporia Fire Department Fire Investigation, along with members of the Emporia Police Department and the State Fire Marshals office, thoroughly documented and performed an examination of the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Read the full press release at the link below.

18 May, 2026 – Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 518 South Exchange Street for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, fire crews found light smoke and visible flames coming from the interior of the residence. On entry, heavy fire was found throughout the main floor. 

05/14/2026

Emporia, Kansas 05/13/2026 — Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 406 State Street, Emporia, Kansas for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, there was heavy smoke and flames in the south yard of the house and fire going up the side of the residence. There was a high fire load in the yard. Americus Fire was responding for automatic aid.

Fire Crews utilizing 3 attack hose lines, a master stream and an elevated master stream were able to make an attack and eventually get the fire contained. The electricity and gas to the building were shut off by the utility companies. There was no gas service to the house but due to the high heat the gas line was compromised and had to be disconnected in the alley. Several departments in the county were requested for mutual aid. There was heavy fire damage to the residence and light damage to the structure to the south on 4th avenue.

Read the full press release at the link below.

Emporia, Kansas 05/13/2026 — Emporia Fire Department was dispatched to 406 State Street, Emporia, Kansas for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, there was heavy smoke and flames in the south yard of the house and fire going up the side of the residence. There was a high fire load in the yard...

05/13/2026

UPDATE
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 5:00 PM
400 block of State Street is now open.
**

⚠️ Traffic Alert ⚠️
The 400 block of State Street is currently closed due to emergency response activity related to a house fire.

Please avoid the area and use alternate routes. Motorists are encouraged to follow all posted traffic control and directions from emergency personnel.