fire

A truck has reportedly struck wires on Route 98 in Alexander near the Wyoming County border sparking a small grass fire.

Several lines are reported down on both sides of Route 98 and a utility pole with a transformer on it is down near the Family Dollar store.

Alexander Fire Department is responding.

Approximately three acres in Bethany of trees and leaves were burned Monday night after flames jumped out of a controlled burn and raced along the hillsides of a resident's property.

A resident was burning leaves, according to Jim Bouton, with Genesee Emergency Services, which ignited leaves he didn't intend to burn. The fire, pushed on by gusting winds, spread quickly north and east.

Bethany Fire Department was initially dispatched at 3:50 p.m. to 10689 Bethany Center Road. Also responding were Alexander, Bethany, Stafford, Town of Batavia and Wyoming.

Crews were on scene for three hours.

No structures were damaged. Crews were able to keep the fire away from most of a private campground and picnic area, which included a travel trailer and pavilion. They also prevented the fire from spreading into a ravine.

(Initial Report)

There's a report of a portion of woods on fire in the area of 10689 Bethany Center Road, Bethany.

Bethany Fire Department dispatched.

UPDATE 4:09 p.m.: Mutual aid is called from Wyoming County, Pavilion, Stafford and Alexander, plus a crew from the Town of Batavia is asked to stand by in quarters. A chief at the scene said "We've got a pretty good large area burning. It's not going anywhere but it's going to take awhile to put it out."

UPDATE 4:18 p.m.: A tanker from the Town of Batavia is requested. One company is bringing its Gator. The fire is getting bigger. "It's spreading pretty rapidly."

UPDATE 4:27 p.m. They are going to begin drawing from ponds, one from on property just north of the incident. There's a bridge which would provide access for equipment to fight the fire from another angle, but it is not strong enough for the tankers or brush trucks to cross. The northern border of the fire is near Route 20 and it's moving rapidly in a toward the Wyoming County border. They are calling for foot crews and hand equipment.

UPDATE 4:42 p.m.: Fire command says the eastern flank is nearly knocked down. They want crews to focus on the west side. They want to stop the fire "from going over the hill."

UPDATE 4:47 p.m.: The backside of the blaze is out and they will employ "Indian guns" to put out the hot spots. They will continue to focus on the west side.

UPDATE 4:49 p.m.: "The fire is out except for hotspots. A couple of us will stay back here until we can knock down the hotspots." Although another firefighter says there is still some advancing. A tanker from Town of Batavia is asked to stand by in Bethany's quarters.

UPDATE 6 p.m.: Fire under control, some units starting to break down.

UPDATE 6:47 p.m. Bethany and Stafford back in service.

View Larger Map

A fire in the woods is reported off Pratt Road. East Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding. A firefighter on scene says "It looks like it's going pretty good."

UPDATE 11:22 a.m.: From as best as I can glean, this is a four-wheeler or some other piece of equipment which caught fire at the rear of a property in some grass, near a tree line. Firefighters will use fire extinguishers to put it out.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.: The crews are back in service.

An ashcan, or ashtray-type container, is reportedly on fire at 319 W. Main St., Batavia.

The owner has pulled the container away from the building.

City fire is responding.

UPDATE 7:38 p.m.: Fire out. City fire back in service.

An electrical fire is reported in a storage room in the back of the Salvation Army Thrift Store, located at 96 Jackson St. The fire is said to be inside an electrical panel box. City firefighters are on scene but report nothing showing.

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: A fire chief says there is an odor of smoke coming from the panel box and he requests that National Grid be notified of the problem.

UPDATE 4:17 p.m.: The power company has been notified. No ETA given.

UPDATE 4:25 p.m.: National Grid says a rep will be there in about 10 minutes.

UPDATE 4:28 p.m.: An electrician will need to be called in. The circuit breakers are completely burned, according to the chief. The power is shut down.

A possible barn fire, now out, is reported at 3023 W. Main St. Road in East Pembroke. East Pembroke firefighters on scene say the blaze may have gotten partially into the structure and they are wetting it down thoroughly, along with the grounds.

A large recycling bin that's 20 feet from a structure is on fire at Eddy Arnold's scrap yard. It's located at 1833 Genesee St. Black smoke can be seen from the village of Corfu. Corfu Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 3:37 p.m.: The fire is contained to a roll-off container.

City fire is dispatched to 4 Highland Park for a possible fire in the wall of the residence.

UPDATE 5:17 p.m.: Engine 15 on location. Nothing showing.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: There was an electrical outlet fire and it's now out.

View Larger Map

A truck fire is reported on Lake Street, Le Roy.

The truck is empty, but it is a fuel tanker. The tree above the truck has caught on fire.

Route 19 is being closed at Mill Street and West Bergen Road.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance responding.

UPDATE 6:18 a.m.: Le Roy ambulance back in service. A tow truck is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 7:12 a.m.: Road open. Le Roy fire back in service.

Smoke, "a light haze," is reported at Lot 3 of the Caesar's Palace Mobile Home Park. It's located at 8486 W. Bergen Road. Bergen and Le Roy fire departments are responding to the scene. Pavilion Fire Department is asked to stand by in their quarters.

The homeowner told responders he has no idea what may be causing the smoke. The structure has been evacuated.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: The smoke has been cleared. We think the source was a clothes dryer. No actual fire was present. The walls were checked with a thermal imaging camera. Pavilion is standing down. The other responders are picking up their equipment and preparing to leave.

A tree is reportedly smoking at 120 State St., Batavia.

City fire is responding non-emergency.

Law enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: Officer there is unable to determine the cause of the smoldering. It's inside a hollow part of the tree. It does not appear to be related to electrical wire.

UPDATE 6:55 p.m.: Fire crews on scene report that some kids put some leaves and paper in the tree and set it afire. A little water, and the fire will be out.

UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: Tree is extinguished. City firefighters picking up.

A fire is reported at 56 Buell St. in the City of Batavia, apartment 1. It's not yet known if everyone is out of the building. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: A police officer on scene reports there is smoke coming from the upper apartment, but it's not yet known if there are flames. The building's entryway is on Elizabeth Street.

UPDATE 5:42 p.m.: City firefighters are now on scene and report there's "nothing showing."

UPDATE 5:44 p.m.: The fire was contained to the stove top. It's out and firefighters are ventilating the apartment.

UPDATE 5:51 p.m.: "Gas is off to the stove. We're all set with the ventilation," says a firefighter.

UPDATE 6:02 p.m.: City fire is back in service.

A woman who came home to her River Street apartment about 10:30 p.m., Friday, was unable to rescue her dog and firefighters believe the dog had already passed by the time they found it in a back bedroom.

"She said she tried to get the dog out but the smoke was too thick," said neighbor Ed DeJaneiro. "She crawled but couldn’t reach him."

Lt. Marty Hinz, city fire, said when firefighters arrived a partition in the apartment's living room was engulfed in flames. The first order of business was suppressing the fire. Then they located the dog.

When the dog, "Scooter," was brought outside, the resident and neighbors tried to resuscitate it but where unsuccessful.

As a result of her attempt to rescue her dog, the woman suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy EMS.

Her name at this time has not been released.

The fire was likely the result of an electrical problem, Hinz said.

There's no damage estimate available.

The fire was contained to 102 River, which is the left side of a duplex. The other apartment had no fire damage.

The woman's husband had left for work at 4 p.m., Hinz said. Investigators have not yet been able to interview the woman and neighbors provided conflicting accounts of when she might have left.

Accounts do agree that she returned around 10:30 p.m. She found smoke coming from her residence and went to her neighbor's apartment to report the fire. The neighbor evacuated his three daughters and called 9-1-1. He then tried to attack the fire with a fire extinguisher, but was unsuccessful.

Batavia PD officers were first on scene.

By that time, DeJaneiro said, flames could be seen in the living room.

According to DeJaneiro, he and his wife left for dinner about 6 p.m. At that time, he said, they smelled smoke and commented that somebody must already be using their wood-burning stove this time of year.

The temperature at 6 p.m. was into the 30s or low 40s.

Another neighbor thought he heard a smoke detector at one point, but didn't pinpoint the location, DeJaneiro said.

"This may have been going on since six o’clock," DeJaneiro said. "I don’t know. It may just have been smoldering and unfortunately, this is the end result."

DeJaneiro said the woman's husband was particularly fond of Scooter.

A house fire is reported at 100 River St. in the City of Batavia. City firefighters are en route. Town of Batavia Fire Department is also called. The fire is fully involved.

UPDATE 10:40 p.m.: The Town of Batavia's Fast Team is also called and Alexander is asked to fill in at the city fire hall.

UPDATE 10:42 p.m.: All occupants are evacuated. A medic is called to evaluate a female for smoke inhalation and another ambulance is called to stand by at the scene.

UPDATE 10:45 p.m.: River Street will be shut down at Pearl Street.

UPDATE 10:48 p.m.: The city's Fast Team is asked to continue and its second engine is told to stand down.

UPDATE 10:49 p.m.: People at the scene tried to resuscitate a dog on the property but failed.

UPDATE 10:55 p.m.: National Grid has been notified. No ETA given.

UPDATE 11:04 p.m.: The location is actually a duplex, with smoke spewing from both units, 100 and 102 River St.

UPDATE 11:19 p.m.: The fire is under control.

A commercial truck fire is reported at Lamb Farms, 1705 Lewiston Road. Alabama Fire Department is responding. The vehicle is in a field on the south side of the road, west of the barns.

UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: Firefighters on scene report seeing no sign of fire.

UPDATE 2:36 p.m.: They have located the truck and found the fire is already out. They will be returning to service.

UPDATE 2:54 p.m.: All Alabama units back in service.

A caller reports that she can see smoke coming from the South Main Street Apartments. The caller is in the area of 65 Birchwood Drive. City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.: City fire on scene reports nothing showing at the address, 178 S. Main.

UPDATE 2:34 p.m.: A resident at the apartments says the smoke may be coming from a controlled burn behind a residence on Birchwood Drive. Firefighters are investigating.

UPDATE 2:37 p.m.: The smoke is from an open burn on River Street.

UPDATE 2:41 p.m.: "It's in a pit and it's very controlled," says a firefighter on River Street, who nonetheless asked that a water can be brought over.

A fire alarm has sounded in Hickory Hall at College Village and the Town of Batavia Volunteer Fire Department is responding. The address is 8170 Batavia Stafford Townline Road.

UPDATE 8:32 p.m.: Firefighters are responding to a "confirmed report of burnt food" in room H-102.

UPDATE 8:36 p.m.: A firefighter on scene says they are "trying to determine why the alarm went off. I don't believe (the reason) was cooking."

UPDATE 8:50 p.m.: No update on what set off the alarm, but the assignment is back in service.

A barn at 3105 Countyline Road, Darien, was destroyed in an overnight fire that required firefighters from eight area fire companies to be on scene from just before 2 to just after 6 a.m.

Darien Fire Department, with mutual aid from Corfu, Alexander, Pembroke, Indian Falls, Crittenden, Bennington, Alden and Batavia City's FAST Team all responded to the scene, along with Emergency Management Services and Mercy EMS.

Trustees from Attica prison responded to help with clean up once the fire was out.

The intial call came in at 1:53 a.m. The barn was reportedly "already on the ground" according to a Darien chief when first arriving on scene.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

UPDATE: The property is owned by J. Daniel Oles and Jane M. Oles. The cause remains unknown, possibly electrical or overheated damp hay. The barn is described as a storage barn. It contained an Allis Chalmers Combine, John Deere Round Bailer, corn planter, three freezers, tools and supplies for the farm. There was no natural gas or propane run to the barn, electricity only. The barn was last entered at 8 p.m by Andrew Oles, who saw or smelled nothing out of the ordinary. The initial caller reported seeing the second floor "lit up and on fire" when she called. Alden firefighters were first on scene.

View Larger Map

A stove is reportedly on fire inside the residence at 146 Summit St., Batavia.

City Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: Engine 12 on scene reporting smoke coming from front door. First platoon requested to the scene. Second platoon requested to stand by at fire headquarters.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: There is fire reported in the ceiling. A firefighter requests the back windows of the structure be broken out.

UPDATE 8:55 p.m.: A Mercy rig requested to the scene for standby.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: National Grid requested to the scene.

UPDATE 9:16 p.m.: Fire under control.

UPDATE 11:08 p.m.: City fire picking up on Summit.

PHOTOS: Submitted by Frank Capuano.

UPDATE: Press release from City fire:

The City of Batavia Fire Department was dispatched at 8:45 pm, Sunday, Sept. 30, to a reported stove fire at 146 Summit St. Engine 11 and Ladder 15 arrived on location at 8:47 p.m. with smoke showing from the front doorway and eaves. All occupants were out of the structure on arrival.

Interior crews found a fire in the kitchen and dining room on the first floor with extension into the ceiling, second floor and attic. The fire was quickly extinguished and salvage and overhaul completed. Damage to the structure and contents is estimate at around $40,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Captain Craig Williams was the incident commander. Assisting at the scene were City of Batavia Fire second-alarm personnel, Genesee County Emergency Management Office, Mercy EMS and National Grid.

The displaced occupants are staying with family members.

View Larger Map