We build our homes — and fill them to the brim — through design. So, it only makes sense that we should save them, and salvage all of our beloved possessions, through good design as well. French company Fire Design has created a range of embellished fire extinguishers to make the most of a necessity that's long been hidden under the kitchen sink.Depending on your preferences, you can choose Read more

If you live in a high-rent city, you may have played the role of architect before. Often, (illegal) partition walls are set up to create two rooms where there once was one. Similar creativity caused two firefighters to become disoriented while fighting a fire in the Bronx. Prosecutors argued that the tenants were guilty of manslaughter, since the disorientation caused the two rescuers to jump Read more

For those of you with a decorative mantelpiece, or just a nonfunctioning fireplace, you can still have a roaring fire without installing a chimney. Brand consultancy firm Partners & Spade has commissioned artist Ann Wood to create custom hearth paintings made to measure for your mantel with prices beginning at $1,500. Customers can specify the style of the andirons and mantel border, and even Read more

A high school senior was in court yesterday on charges of arson and criminal mischief after he was charged with setting fire to a fellow student's turban. Authorities say Garrett Green set a 16-year-old junior's turban alight with a cigarette lighter during a fire drill last week. The Sikh student suffered patches of burnt hair but was not seriously hurt. The culturally insensitive act came with Read more

China Quake Toll 12,000: The official death toll after the 7.8 earthquake in China yesterday now stands at 11,921, according to state media. The quake is China’s biggest natural disaster in three decades. Tens of thousands of people remain buried beneath rubble today and the authorities say more than 10,000 people are still unaccounted for in the city of Minzhu, and another 2,300 are missing Read more

30 Sentenced in Tibet: A Chinese court in Tibet has sentenced 30 people to prison for their roles in the deadly rioting last month. The sentences range from three years to life in prison. Those punished were accused of taking part in the protests, vandalism, and violence that began March 14 in the Tibetan capital. China blames the Dalai Lama for the conflict and the ensuing problems with the Read more