Batavia Fire's Engine 12 was back on scene this afternoon after smoke started to rise from the rubble near the still intact part of the structure. While smoldering wood has been allowed burn well away from the remaining structure, firefighters were concerned this was a little too close.
Curious area residents continue to drive by the Swan Street scene on a regular basis.
As a few last whiffs of smoke drifted from debris of the old Wiard Plow factory in Batavia late this morning, streams of area residents drove by the Swan Street location to see for themselves the destruction from Saturday's massive fire.
What they saw was more than the rubble of bricks, charred beams and twisted metal. They also saw the remains of Batavia's once thriving industrial history.
Firefighters were on scene as late as 10:30 a.m. as investigators tried picking through the debris to find the factory floor, in hopes of confirming the fire's origin and possible cause.
Lt. James Steinbrenner said they did get to a portion of the floor, but not the area they want to investigate. Steinbrenner said the location investigators would like to examine is under much heavier rubble. He said it will take heavy equipment to remove and it's unclear yet who will pay for that work.
Arson is still suspected, but police detectives have yet to announce any findings.
More pictures after the jump:
The bottom two pictures show the smashed windows of two trucks that may be associated with a business that had been (and might still be) occupying another section of the Wiard Plow complex. Based on the location of the vehicles, it seems highly unlikely that these windows were smashed by falling bricks from the fire. A more likely possibility is that they were smashed previously by vandals.
The kids and parents in Kelly March's (back, left) "Woolly Book Worms" club got some special treats for their last meeting Saturday: a scrumptious peanut butter pie, a delectable white cake with strawberries (both pictured below), and a visit from nearby children's author Peggy Thomas (second from right in the back).
Also included were some parent-friendly and kid-friendly beverages to wash the sweets down.
Thomas is the author of 14 books for children and young adults, including "Joshua the Giant Frog," which is a folkloric tale of the Erie Canal.
In spite of the fact that her mother, Margery Facklam, is also a children's author (her works include "Creepy, Crawly Caterpillars" and "The Big Bug Book"), writing was not Thomas' childhood ambition. Her father was a high school science teacher, and for a while it looked like she was going to follow in his footsteps and become a scientist. When it came time to go off to college, this became her focus.
Well, "focus" might not be exactly the right word...
"I kind of jumped around a lot in college," Thomas said.
After having explored different science programs, she ended up topping off her academic career with a master's degree in anthropology. But she gained something from her college experience that was arguably more valuable than a degree: her vocation.
"I learned from my mother that writing was a good, valuable thing as a kid," she explained. "And in college I realized that if I became a writer, I wouldn't have to be tied to just one thing. I could explore all these different subjects I was interested in."
Thomas' other works include juvenile nonfiction books on the subjects of forensic anthropology, animals, nature and New York State, as well as a picture book about President George Washington's life as a farmer in Mt. Vernon.
Her visit to the library was very informal. She sat down with the kids, let them ask questions, and talked about the steps involved in the writing process as well as the roles of the people involved -- including the illustrator, the editor and the copy editor.
She also showed everyone the "print run" of one of her mother's books, just to give an idea of the complexities of the book-publishing process.
Thomas lives in Middleport, which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes away from Batavia. For more information on her and the books she has written, vist her website at www.peggythomaswrites.com.
ADDITIONAL NOTE:
March would like to start Woolly Book Worms again in September. To learn more about this program, please contact the library at 343-9550, ext. 4.
There was nothing Tom Mancuso could do but watch.
Mancuso, donning a New York Yankees ball cap, and wearing a gaunt, dour expression in the unseasonably cold night, stood for hours just watching as firefighters tried to beat back the hungry red and blue flames devouring his building, the old Wiard Plow factory that his firm acquired in the 1980s.
Through the battle, Mancuso rarely turned away. He just watched.
"You can always build another 100,000-square-foot building," Mancuso said at one point. "You can never replace a 100-year-old building."
An Alarm of Fire
Just before sunset Saturday, Genesee County Dispatch started to get calls of a fire at 33 Swan St. -- the same location where a smaller fire had been extinguished by the Batavia Fire Department earlier Saturday.
On a day when the dispatch center dealt with hundreds and hundreds of calls, the switch board lighting up just fit the pattern.
But this time, this was no "possible" structure fire. Witnesses -- and there were several -- reported seeing heavy smoke.
By the time the Batavia Fire Department was on scene, flames were already showing.
The call quickly went out for mutual-aid departments to respond -- from Le Roy, Stafford, Town of Batavia and several others.
By 8:15 p.m., big balls of flame were shooting from the back of the historic structure.
Among the witnesses to the initial smoke was a reader of The Batavian, who told us he saw two youths running from the building. He said that later those same two youngsters were being questioned by police.
A little after 11 p.m., The Batavian confirmed Batavia Police detectives Todd Crossett and Kevin Czora were at the police station talking with two juveniles. Their parents had also been called to the station.
Earlier in the day, the Batavia Fire Department responded to a report of smoke coming from the rear side of the same Wiard Plow building.
Two youths reported the fire, saying they were walking in the area when they spotted the smoke. Lt. James Steinbrenner said Batavia Police questioned the youths who reported the fire and determined they were in fact just witnesses and not involved in the possible arson.
The fire, according to Steinbrenner, appeared deliberately set. There were papers spread around the floor of an abandoned office space that had been ignited. The arrangement of the paper suggested it was sometimes used as bedding.
An electrical cause could be ruled out because the building had no utilities service.
People could gain access to the space where the fire was found through a collapsed wall in an inner courtyard-like area. There was evidence that somebody had used a pallet to construct a makeshift ladder to gain easy access from the courtyard down into the office area.
Four burned birthday candles sat on a table in a room adjacent to the office were the earlier fire was discovered.
That fire was completely extinguished by BFD before it had a chance to spread beyond the office.
This evening's fire, according to Steinbrenner, may have started several yards to the south of the earlier fire, but within the same group of rooms in the building.
Fire Protection
Mancuso was clearly concerned about access to his building. He said work crews just within the past couple of weeks had welded shut doors that vandals had been using to gain access by breaking locks. There was also a 10-foot-high chain-link fence that was supposed to prevent people from entering the courtyard area.
"It was secured from the casual person entering," Mancuso said.
Several fire companies from Genesee County responded to the blaze, including Le Roy, which over the previous six or seven hours had responded to 15 calls in its own district -- mostly trees and power lines down.
Batavia's interim fire chief, Craig Williams, said the first order of business was firefighter safety.
"It’s a vacant building, so our first priority is making sure our guys stay safe, so we weren’t going to enter the building," Williams said.
Firefighters formed a perimeter around the building, striking it with several streams of water -- including three aerial (or ladder) trucks.
One Batavia firefighter said Le Roy's ladder truck crew deserved special credit for attacking the fire from the front of the building and keeping the flames from spreading beyond the firewall.
“There were breeches in the firewall, because of construction and renovations over the years, but we dumped a lot of water on it," Williams said. "Between the firewall and our efforts it looks like we pretty much got it stopped at the firewall.”
All evening, temperatures were at or below freezing, and snow flurries occasionally blew through the scene.
Firefighters were universally thankful for the cold and damp weather. With the high winds of Saturday evening, the fire could have quickly and easily spread if not for the recent rains. The entire Harvester complex could have been lost. Winds of 30 to 40 mph were carrying embers directly over the old factory buildings.
Town of Batavia Fire was assigned early in the incident, Williams said, to watch over the Harvester buildings.
Shortly before 11 p.m., heavy-duty wrecking equipment was brought in to start knocking down bricks and mortar that were first set in the 1870s.
By knocking down the ancient walls, the remains of the fire could be more quickly extinguished.
By about 1 a.m., Sunday, most of the fire units who had responded were back in service.
Updated at 11:30 a.m., Sunday, to include information about weather conditions and potential damage to the Harvester complex.
Previous coverage:
Here are 29 photos from the scene of tonight's Wiard Plow factory fire.
More pictures after the jump:
More pictures after the jump:
Two juvenile subjects are currently being questioned at Police Headquarters by Batavia Police detectives Kevin Czora and Todd Crossett.
Their parents have been called to the station.
A witness earlier informed The Batavian that he saw two youths running from the scene, and later saw those two same individuals being questioned by police.
Here are a few photos I took while at the scene. I'll post more later. We've also received numerous reader-submitted photos and we will post those later. I'm heading back to the scene as soon as this post is up.
A firefighter said it looked like this fire broke out only feet from where this afternoon's fire was apparently set.
The back of the building is a total loss. There is a chance the front half will be saved.
A number of firefighters I spoke with said they were thankful it's a cold and damp night. With the direction of the wind and embers in the air, Harvester Center could have been ignited as well, if not for cold and damp weather.
More later.
There is a structure fire at the Wiard Plow Co. building at 33 Swan St. in the City of Batavia. Firefighters are on scene, opening up the building to vent the smoke. The roof is afire with 20-foot flames. A second ladder is requested. A crew from Alexander is requested to fill in for the City of Batavia as standby. Looky-loos are posing an impediment to the firefighting efforts.
The fire is engulfing the rear of the structure. There was an apparent arson there earlier this afternoon.
"From everything I can see the main sturcture is OK but there's a lot of embers flying around. A good chunk of the rear of the building fell down," reports a firefighter.
All firefighting manpower from the city and town of Batavia are called to the scene.
The report of this tree falling into a house at 2 Manhatten Ave., Batavia, came in around 5:30 p.m.
The initial report said the residents were trapped in the house, but they managed to get out before city firefighters arrived.
This is the scene at 6:51 p.m.
A tree fell into a home on Kibbe Avenue. Witnesses said a limb pierced straight through the roof into the closet of a bedroom. One person was home, but nobody was hurt.
A tree down and blocking Jackson Street near Wood Street.
A man walking down Ellicott Street, trying to keep control of his umbrella in the wind.
More pictures after the jump:
The fence in front of the old Christina's Restaurant location on Ellicott Street was blown down. Genesee Dispatch reached owner Chuck Brumstead, who reportedly said nothing could be done about it until Sunday.
A tree came down on this car on Vine Street.
Firefighters Joseph Schlossel and Robert Fix remove a tree limb from Tracy Avenue.
City crews had a lane of traffic closed throughout most of the morning and into mid-day for unknown repairs at Ellicott and Jackson streets.
The flag outside the Genesee County Economic Development Center on Mill Street whipping in the wind.
A pair of teenagers walking behind the Wiard Plow Co. building on Swan Street spotted smoke coming from a window in the back of the old factory building, so they went to a nearby business and called 9-1-1.
When city firefighters arrived, there was just a little smoke showing and after they made their way into the building, they found smoldering office papers. They were files left behind from a previous business that had been set on fire, according to Lt. James Steinbrenner.
While the fire appears to be intentional, or at least set by the action of some person, there was no accelerant, which would be used in a typical arson.
The fire may have just be a result of people who were hanging out in the building and lighting matches. Four partially burned birthday candles were found in a room adjoining the interior office where the fire was found. The fire did not extend beyond that office.
The burning paper was extinguished quickly by the City of Batavia Fire Department.
The way the paper was spread on the floor, it's possible somebody has been using it as bedding.
Access to the building is wide open through a back wall that is completely collapsed.
Tree branches are down in the area of 166 Summit St., completely blocking it.
At 9 Holland Ave., a tree is down and electrical wires are arcing.
Also, trees down blocking Macomber Road in Oakfield and a street in Bergen.
UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: A line is down and arcing on Route 77. Also, Batavia Fire is being dispatched to 71 S. Main St. for a tree limb on fire. A Le Roy Fire chief reports a limb down on Myrtle Street.
UPDATE 4:28 p.m.: In Le Roy, there are at least two limbs down on Myrtle, with one causing damage to a vehicle, plus one on Glibert Street. Le Roy is setting up a command post at the Fire Hall and requesting all available manpower.
UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: Fire Dispatch just notifed all fire personnel to go to various operational channels and keep radio transmissions to a minimum: "We have several emergencies to get out."
Update 4:35 p.m.: There is some sort of fire on West Bergen Road. Wires are down on Elm Street in Le Roy, also in Le Roy several tree branches and wires are down and arcing on Lake Street. There is also an incident on Washington Avenue in Batavia that has the street shut down.
UPDATE 4:38 p.m.: A tree has fallen on a house on Kibbe Avenue.
UPDATE 4:40 p.m.: There's a chain reaction of poles down and wires popping on Clipknock Road. There's also another pole down in Le Roy, but we didn't catch the location. Also several poles and wires down on Bethany Center Road.
UPDATE 4:43 p.m.: Somebody just said, "We've lost all power in the village." Not sure which village.
UPDATE 5:09 p.m.: National Grid is on scene on Erie Street in Le Roy for lines down. Also on Oatka, a large tree is leaning on wires. Wires are intact. In Batavia, Jackson Street is blocked at Wood Street. Darien is being asked to check 9295 Colby Road for unknown wires down.
UPDATE: A tree has fallen into power lines on Vine Street.
Large trees have fallen on Vine Street, one of which struck a car, and on Tracy Avenue in the City of Batavia. This prompted a third batallion to be dispatched to the fire department.
A groundhog spotted on Maple Street this afternoon.
A possible structure fire has been reported at 33 Swan St., Batavia.
Batavia Fire is responding.
UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: There has been a good deal of scanner traffic and any response to this did not come across. We just drove by the location and no fire is on scene, so they must have cleared.
UPDATE 3:24 p.m.: There was a fire. A small one. In one of the old Wiard Plow buildings. The fire trucks were (duh) behind the building. A separate post on the fire, with pictures, later.
A large tree has fallen into a garage at 10 Prospect Ave. in the City of Batavia. No wires are believed to be affected. Batavia Fire is responding and will be using a chainsaw to remove the tree.
Electric lines are reportedly down and on fire in the vicinity of 65 South Main St., Batavia.
Batavia Fire is responding.
Family Primetime Story Hour is for all ages and is held from 6:30 to 7 p.m. nearly every Thursday at the Richmond Memorial Library.
This event includes stories, music and finger plays. Children are welcome to wear pajamas if they wish.
Please contact the library at 343-9550 for further details.
BATAVIA , NY -- In a brief conversation this morning, District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said he wasn't surprised yesterday when the attorney for Scott Doll, accused of murder, implied that maybe it was Doll's son who killed Joseph Benaquist on Feb. 16, 2009 in Pembroke.
As for whether Josh Doll will be called as a witness in the case, Friedman at first said, "You'll have to ask them," motioning toward the defense table.
Asked if Josh Doll was already on his witness list, Friedman said Judge Robert Noonan doesn't really like attorneys to specify who is on what list. He then said, "I just don't know (if he will be called)."
Doll's attorney, Paul Cambria, said he never discusses beforehand who he plans to call as a witness.
Of course, under the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, people have the right not to make statements that implicate themselves in crimes. If Josh Doll took the stand, he could refuse to answer any questions that might implicate him in a crime.
Of course, if he wasn't involved in the crime, he would be compelled to testify truthfully to anything he knew.
An attorney we spoke to said that under court rules, neither the prosecution nor defense can call a witness they know in advance will take the 5th.
In yesterday's opening remarks, Cambria said that according to Scott Doll, Benaquist's dying words were, "The boy. The boy." Some minutes later, Cambria said, Doll began to wonder if those words meant that Josh Doll was the killer.
Cambria used the concern of Scott Doll over the possible involvement of his son to suggest that Doll's state of mind may explain some of his actions and statements to Sheriff's deputies.
The trial restarted this morning shortly after 9:45 a.m.
Because of a prior commitment for Judge Noonan, today's trial session will end at 12:30 and resume Monday morning at 9:30.
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