monoxide, which in some cases can kill you after a handful of breaths. tonight, abc's alex perez finds out if your own car can put you at risk and how to stay safe. >> we're going to go down, we're going to mask up on the floor. >> reporter: firefighters armed with masks and safety gear. they approach cautiously knowing this garage is filled with deadly concentrations of carbon monoxide from the exhaust of this car left running. it's a frightening demonstration, but in real life it can have tragic results. investigators have confirmed 12 deaths since 2009 that are linked to carbon monoxide poisoning from cars with keyless ignition that had been accidentally left running. recently among them pasquale and rina fontanini of illinois. >> i'd sit here, my mom would sit here, my dad would sit here. >> reporter: they were found by their son cesar during a routine morning visit after he finished his shift as a firefighter. >> i saw my dad laying about four feet down on the main entrance by the garage door. >> reporter: in that moment you must have wondered what's going on. >> i thought my dad

firefighters killed when a burning building collapsed. abc's alex perez reports on the grief and the investigation. >> reporter: more than 50 firefighters battling this monstrous blaze near downtown kansas city. then ordered to evacuate. the firefighters make it out. >> command did you copy? major collapse on the west side. major collapse. >> reporter: but not far enough away. one of the walls pushing out 30 feet. trapping four firefighters in the rubble. kansas city's bravest racing to save their own. 17-year veteran larry leggio and 13-year veteran john mesh pronounced dead at the hospital. >> firefighter leggio leaves a wife, a mother and many immediate family members. firefighter mesh leaves a wife and four young daughters. >> they were both good men. they were hard firefighters. we know today they'd still do the same job again if they had to. >> reporter: the two other injured firefighters are expected to be okay. across this city flags are flying at half staff to honor the fallen firefighters. this is the first time since 2008 a firefighter here is killed while battling a blaze

alex perez is there. >> reporter: investigators in st. louis on the hunt trying to figure out who is setting fires at churches. >> original doors built in 1948. >> reporter: reverend roderick burton says the damage to his church could cost more than $7,000 to repair. the building's original 1948 doors charred. >> if someone is attacking us, americans should come together in one voice and say this is wrong. >> reporter: in the last two weeks six churches, all within three miles of each other. the fires all set near an entrance. different denominations but mostly black congregations. >> it is arson. these are being intentionally set. it's not spontaneous combustion. they're not occurring on their own. >> reporter: this area still recovering from the riots sparked after ferguson police officer darren wilson shot and killed michael brown. many in this community praying for the culprit and for an arrest. and you can see the flames are so hot, completely melting the siding from this church right here. atf investigators believe the same person is responsible for all of these incidents. ther

very spot where i'm standing the water would have been over my head. alex perez, columbia, south carolina. >> the images do not tell the true scope of the daniel down there. incredible images. >> we cover natural disasters. it's so difficult to explain how these people have lost everything who are not used to losing everything. deb stating. > it is absolutely. several tough weeks ahead for those people down there. there is another tragedy limpinged to hurricane joaquin. singing of a huge cargo ship. the search continues through the night for any survivors. so far at least one person has decide. the coast guard says a survival suit was found with a body inside. 28 of the crew members from from the u.s. the others from poland. searchers are looking for any stein of life. >> we're still searching focusing more on potential people in the water, life boats and life rafts. >> the captain of the ship apparently thought he could maneuver around hurricane joaquin but then experienced mechanical problems and ended up heading directly into the storm. >>> a crowd passenger jet made an emerge

weather in nearly two weeks, abc's alex perez is there. >> reporter: in south carolina that could burst under pressure. >> don't let the sunshine fool you. >> reporter: thousand-pound sandbags at the ready. they'll be dropped by these national guard chinook helicopters to stabilize this canal. in columbia, this is what we saw on burwell lane, water lapping at the roofs of homes. robert wise finally back at his house which was underwater. what's it like to come back and shambles? >> it's overwhelming. there's no way to describe it. >> reporter: 11 trillion gallons of water, enough to fill more than 130,000 rose bowls, it's making already swollen rivers overflow long after the rain is gone. at least 17 are dead in these floods. >> i have three children at home. we don't have anything to even flush toilets or take showers. >> reporter: alex perez, abc news, clumolumbia, south carolina. >> the concern is in the southwest. take a look on radar. rain stretching from the mexican border into colorado. strong thunderstorms are expected with this system. were posted in arizona and new mexic

walked away and left their car running. alex perez with more. >> approaching a garage. in real life, tragic results. caesar loved stopping by his parents house to share an espresso. in june this family ritual shattered. >> to walk in and have to see that. >> it's ended in your brain for the rest of your life. >> caesar sitting here with his lawyer speaking out about the morning he found both parents rin na and pasqual dead after they accidentally left their car running in their attached garage. >> i was unaware there was a problem till this happened to my parents. >> the 2013 lincoln mks had a push button or keyless ignition. investigators say reena put the fob in her purse despite an audible warning likely made by the car. officials say the carbon monoxide from the engine built up into the garage and seed into the house eventually killing them both. to find out how quickly the fumes in a running car could turn deadly, abc news conducted a demonstration working with carbon monoxide experts to monitor levels, the bay shore fire department in long island new yorking there to help keep

of four daughters. abc's alex perez on the scene in kansas city tonight. >> reporter: more than 50 firefighters battling this monstrous blaze near downtown kansas city. then ordered to evacuate. the firefighters make it out. >> command, did you copy? major collapse on the west side. major collapse. >> reporter: but not far enough away. one of the walls pushing out 30 feet. trapping four firefighters in the rubble. kansas city's bravest racing to save their own. 17-year veteran larry leggio and 13-year veteran john mesh, pronounced dead at the hospital. >> firefighter leggio leaves a wife, a mother and many immediate family members. firefighter mesh leaves a wife, four young daughters. >> they were both good men. they were hard firefighters. we know today, they'd still do the same job again if they had to. >> reporter: the two other injured firefighters are expected to be okay. tonight, across this city, flags are flying at half staff to honor the fallen firefighters. this is the first time since 2008 a firefighter here has been killed while battling a blaze. david? >> alex perez to

toll is rising. here's more from abc's alex perez. >> reporter: in south carolina all eyes on at least 18 dams that could burst under pressure. >> the next 36 to 48 hours is going to be volatile. so what we'll tell you is don't let the sunshine fool you. >> reporter: 1,000-pound sand bags at the ready. they'll be dropped by these national guard chinook helicopters to stabilize this canal. in columbia this is what we saw on burwell lane, water lapping at the roofs of homes. a flood of volunteers. robert wise finally back at his house, which was underwater. >> what's it like to come back and see your neighborhood in shambles like this? >> it's overwhelming. there's no way to describe it. >> reporter: 11 trillion gallons of water. enough to fill more than 130,000 rose bowls. it's making already swollen rivers overflow long after the rain is gone. and as many as 40,000 people still have no water. >> and i have three children at home. we don't have anything to even flush toilets or take showers. >> reporter: long lines for free bottles of water from the national guard. and this is wha

. david? >> alex perez reporting in for us. thank you, alex. >>> and now to the race for 2016 tonight, and to the fallout from the fiery debate last night, the rivals taking swipes at one another. but also at the mod rail or thes. and you will hear what they said to them. and then the war of worlds between jeb bush and marco rubio. did the moment backfire on jeb bush? abc's tom llamas on the campaign trail tonight. >> reporter: tonight many calling this a game-changing moment in the republican race. an attack that backfired. jeb bush call chenging the man he mentored, marco rubio, for missing more votes than any other senator this year. >> but marco, when you signed up for this, this was a six-year term. you should be showing up to work. i mean, literally, what is it, like a french work week? you get three dames where you have to show up? you can campaign. or just resign and let somebody else take the job. >> reporter: but rubio ready for the attack. >> the only reason you're doing it now is because we're running for the same position. someone convinced you attacking me is goi

focus on those dams and the damage that could come, if they give way. abc's alex perez is in south carolina. >> reporter: in south carolina tonight, all eyes on at least 18 dams that could burst under pressure. >> the next 36 to 48 hours is going to be volatile, so, what we'll tell you is, don't let the sunshine fool you. >> reporter: thousand-pound sandbags at the ready. they'll be dropped by these national guard chinook helicopters to stabilize this canal. in columbia, this is what we saw on burwell lane, water lapping at the roofs of homes. tonight, a flood of volunteers. robert wise finally back at his house, which was underwater. what's it like to come back and see your neighborhood in shambles like this? >> it's just overwhelming. there's no way to describe it. >> reporter: 11 trillion gallons of water. enough to fill more than 130,000 rose bowls. it's making already swollen rivers overflow long after the rain is gone. at least 17 are dead in these floods. and as many as 40,000 people still have no water. >> and i have three children at home. we don't have anything to even fl

alex perez is there. >> reporter: tonight, the manhunt for a desperate kreeb criminal intensifying. authorities saying he was spotted in rural kentucky just this afternoon and they're zeroing in. >> he is still considered to be extremely armed -- extremely dangerous and armed. >> reporter: 62-year-old floyd ray cook on the run since by an officer in all good, tennessee, and opened fire. >> shots fired! shots fired! officer down. >> reporter: cook striking that officer in the chest. >> he hit me. i'm okay. >> i have help coming. i need you to breathe. talk to me, brother. okay, i know you're hit. they're coming. >> reporter: luckily, the officer was wearing a bullet proof vest. cook then fled to the nearby kentucky border and opened fire on officers who tried to stop him there. cook, again evading capture. this time, escaping into the woods. he was paroled in 2009. his offenses including rape of a minor, assault and armed robbery. and david, tonight, parents in some nearby school districts were asked to pick up their kids, rather than let them take the bus. authorities and residents

inside found dead. abc's alex perez in south carolina. >> reporter: tonight, south carolina on the offensive. 62 dams threatening to burst. >> we are holding our breath and we're saying a prayer. >> reporter: in columbia, officials rushed to evacuate a thousand people living below the beaver dam just before dawn. >> they have gone nonstop to help prevent a major catastrophe over here. >> reporter: that 52-year-old dam holding more than 91 million gallons of water away from communities downstream. downtown columbia, chin shook helicopters dropping one ton sandbags in the columbia canal. heavy equipment dumping 400 tons of rock all to shore up this massive breach in a dike near the city's water filtration system. at least 13 dams have failed, >> we're working around the clock to rep dill this. >> reporter: at least 13 dams have failed, including this one in lexington. residents now left to clean up their water logged homes. >> we're going through it now, hoping and praying god is watching over us. >> reporter: at least 19 have lost their lives in the car lies that since the rains beg

not faded from the headlines there. alex perez tonight. >> reporter: tonight investigators in st. louis on the hunt, trying to figure out who is setting fire at churches. >> original doors built in 1948. >> reporter: reverend rodrick burton says the damage to his church could cost more than $7,000 to repair. the building's original 1948 doors, charred. >> if someone is attacking or stepping out, americans should come together and say, this is wrong. >> reporter: in the last two weeks, 6 churches, all within 3 miles of each other. the fires all set near an entrance different denominations, but mostly black congregations. >> it is arson, these are being intentionally set. it isn't spontaneous combustion so they're not occurring on their own. >> reporter: this area still recovering from the riots sparked after ferguson police officer darren wilson shot and killed michael brown. tonight, many in this community praying for the culprit and, for an arrest. you are see the flames so hot, completely melting the siding on the church here. atf investigators believe the same person is respon

plan is to be out here tomorrow until the breach is plugged. david? >> alex perez. thank you. >>> we have breaking developments in that missing cargo ship. it went down, trapped by hurricane joaquin. the search now called off tonight. the cargo ship company saying the victims shared a bond, a love of sea. some of the faces of those lost. their families pleading with officials to keep searching. it comes after search teams plucked debris from the ocean, letters, numbers visible. that search now over this evening. abc's linzie janis, though, with new questions about the history of that ship. >> reporter: tonight, crew members' families receiving the news they were dreading. >> it's been six long days of hoping and praying. >> reporter: the exhaustive search for the 33 on board the el faro called off by the u.s. coast guard. >> any decision to suspend a search is painful. >> reporter: 25-year-old michael holland's mother thankful for the camaraderie of life at sea. >> if they can't be with this family -- >> yeah. >> then they're with their family. >> reporter: finding solace with the mo

. david? >> just incredible, the pictures. alex perez leading us off. alex, thank you. let's get right to meteorologist rob marciano in south carolina. the governor saying, don't let the sunshine fool you. the next 48 hours could bring more flooding? >> reporter: yeah, much of that water, david, that fell in the upstate has to come down the river system into the low country and the water certainly is rising. several major rivers are going to continue to rise and be a major, if not record-breaking flood stage, including the ashley river which i'm standing next to. so, we'll will watching that very, very carefully. i want to mention this out west, in the southwest, we have flash flood warnings in phoenix and those watches expanded into parts of western texas. but here in the low country of south carolina, david, we are anxiously watching the water come up. >> all right, rob, thank you. >>> in the meantime tonight, we turn to the urgent search for the black box, after that ship went down after heading right into hurricane joaquin. 28 americans on board. federal investigators now on

is rising and we need to get you out. alex perez in south carolina again this evening. >> reporter: tonight, south carolina's coastal communities on edge. urged to evacuate. >> this water is moving in quickly. >> reporter: rivers cresting to record levels. at least 19 dead in the carolinas, as more incredible stories of survival emerge. clara gannt, and her grandson, surviving by clinging to a red cross. she was on her way to church, biblical floods raging all around. across the state, all eyes on 70 dams. 14 have already failed. reinforcements under way after a dike breach at the fragile columbia canal, crucial to the water supply of 375,000 residents. these pictures showing the canal before and after. with cleanup now under way, worries about how homeowners fema recommends taking pictures of your damaged property to help with claims. but standard policies don't cover floods, and a lot of people here who lost everything don't have flood insurance. for many, the only option now, to apply for federal disaster assistance. a loan from the government to rebuild. david? >> alex, thank y

see a good samaritan swimming to save him. alex perez is in south carolina. >> reporter: tonight, the southeast is brags for more rain and from the governor, a warning. >> just because the rain stops does not mean we are out of the woods. >> reporter: a breach of a dam causing for evacuations. serving for survivors, spray painting an x where all is clear. the last 24 hours, family after family plucked from the flood waters. >> everything that i know that i know of has been destroyed. >> it's heart wrenching but i'm so glad we're safe. >> reporter: we rode with scott weber who went to the check on his neighbors. >> i was stumping on the roof and listening to see if anyone called back. >> reporter: they are washed out roads. >> there he goes. >> reporter: this man, trapped in his two-en to truck. app bystander swimming forward. he clings to a free, making it back, and kicking out the back window. the driver and his rescuer, lucky to be alive tonight. david a first look at the severe damage. you can see the white car caught in the current and tossed into the creek. and over here, the rus

, he was dead. the officer not charged. alex perez with what the video showed. >> pulled you over today because you flashed me. i didn't even have my brights on. >> yes, you did, sir. >> nope, i didn't partner. >> reporter: the encounter quickly turning deadly after sergeant jonathan frost pulled over 17-year-old deven guilford in michigan for flashing his lights. >> driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance, please. >> i don't even know you're an officer. handing over his driver's license, the teen starts recording the february encounter with his cellphone. his video on the left. the situation heats up. >> you are right now refusing to give me your i.d. refusing to give me your i.d. in a traffic stop is a misdemeanor. >> reporter: the officer calls for back-up. >> do you realize that if you would've complied with this traffic stop it would've gone a whole different way for you? >> yes, i do. >> out of the car or you're going to get tased. >> reporter: that taser ineffective, the prosecutor later finds, also saying that, at this moment that the camera deputy, repeated

storm zone, and alex perez starts us off in columbia. >> reporter: crews using a rope to rescue a woman. and take a look at this mom's face. grief and relief. as firefighters get her son out of a car and into her arms. a marathon of rescues in columbia, south carolina, dangerous for even trained firefighters. two firefighters rescued today. there's so much water, it's easy to forget it's a roadway, not a river. and the water up to the rooftops of some homes. these residents trapped on the upper level. roads giving way. dams bursting. this man escaped with his wife. >> it's tough because everything i own that i know of has been destroyed. everything i've worked for. >> reporter: countless neighbors volunteering all day and night to get people to safety. >> when i saw what was going on, i just felt the need to help. >> reporter: some who lost everything they owned, just grateful they'll get a chance to start again. >> it's heart wrenching, but i'm so glad we're safe. >> reporter: now, the wait for the water to recede. the cleanup process just beginning. >> alex, thank you. >>> we tu