Around the Nation

Girl Survives Fall Down Chimney

NEW YORK -- A 12-year-old New York City girl is being treated for an injured hip after surviving a 14-story fall down a chimney. Authorities said that she had been showing a visiting cousin the view from the roof of her West Village apartment building. She had climbed up a 25-foot ladder alongside a brick chimney to get to the highest point, when she toppled into and down the narrow flue to the building's basement. Fire officials say a two-foot pile of ash and dust cushioned her fall as she crashed into the furnace. Fire Lieutenant Simon Ressner said he was expecting the worst when he opened the metal door at the bottom of the chimney. Instead, the girl poked her hand out of the soot. She is listed in fair condition at a hospital.

Yosemite Fire Nearly Contained

MARIPOSA, Calif. -- Firefighters said they were getting closer to containing a 53-square-mile wildfire that had destroyed more than 20 homes in the mountains outside Yosemite National Park. The blaze was about 80 percent contained Saturday morning, and all evacuation orders had been lifted. Firefighters were focused on building fire lines on the blaze's north flank and said they did not expect it to grow much more. The fire has destroyed 21 homes, forced the evacuation of 350 other houses and spread a smoky haze over the national park since it was sparked by a target shooter last week.

-- From News Services