batavia

A fire is reported at a house at 433 E. Main St. in Batavia, between Harvester and Vine. City firefighters on scene say smoke is showing.

The fire is believed to have begun in the basement. Streets in the vicinity are being shut down to traffic.

Smoke rapidly began pouring from all three stories of the building soon after firefighters arrived.

UPDATE (5:07 p.m.): Until about 10 minutes ago, fire crews believed someone was still inside the building, now that is being re-evaluated.

The building is owned by Terry Platt of Platt Properties in Batavia. It is a rooming house with eight rooms and two apartments.

UPDATE (5:11 p.m.): No one was found inside during the initial search of the building. The landlord is providing the residents' names and contact information so fire personnel can account for all the occupants. Then the premises will be searched again.

UPDATE (5:26 p.m.): The fire is not yet under control. Smoke is still coming from the building. Elba Fire Department responded as mutual aid to the scene and Mercy EMS is also there. Oakfield Fire Department is asked to fill in at the station for the Town of Batavia, which also responded to the fire.

American Red Cross is called to stage at Wilson Farms on Main Street to provide aid to seven people. There seems to be some trouble getting water for one of the hoses.

UPDATE (5:49 p.m.): There is still fire on the first and second stories. All interior firefighters are ordered out and to muster in front for an accountability roll call. A cop on scene said they are going to "flood the building." All occupants are out and accounted for.

UPDATE (5:56 p.m.): Flames six feet high are now shooting out of the roof. National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE (6:05 p.m.): A plume of black and gray smoke is visible for at least a hundred feet above the house.

UPDATE 6:45 p.m. (by Howard) Town of Batavia's ladder, Engine 25, is on scene. It looks like the plan is to bring it around to the back of the house and pour as much water on the roof as possible. The construction of the house, built around the turn of the century or before, has "balloon" walls, making it possible for flames to shoot up from the basement all the way to the attic. Once the fire got into the walls, it became very difficult to fight from the inside.

11:04 p.m.:  City Engine 12 is back in service. Town of Batavia Engine 18 is back in service. Genesee County Emergency Management is going back in service. A pump has been requested in the basement to start pumping out water so that the investigation can be started.

11:17 p.m.: All Town of Batavia units back in service. City personnel who responded to the second and third alarms being released.

1:17 a.m.: Ladder 15 back in quarters.

A man who reportedly tried to steal a television from Kmart has fled on foot and was last spotted running behind Jerry Arena's Pizzaria.

The subject is described as white male, wearing a brown and white hat, brown sweater and blue jeans.

The suspect fled Kmart, leaving the TV on Kmart's property.

Multiple law enforcement units are responding to the area.

UPDATE: Before we could even get this published, the suspect was caught on West Main Street.

An Attica man with two prior DWI convictions was allegedly found driving drunk with children in his car on East Main Street in Batavia last night.

Taken into custody on $25,000 bail and charged with a felony under Leandra's Law was 40-year-old Roland J. Reed, of Exchange Street, Attica.

Reed reportedly had a 2-year-old and an 8-month-old in the car when he was stopped at 11:24 p.m. in the area of 505 East Main St., Batavia, by Deputy Christopher Parker.

Besides a felony DWI and the Leandra's Law felony charge, Reed is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, unlawful possession of marijuana, unlicensed operation, moving from lane unsafely and refusal to take a breath test.

The children's mother was reportedly a passenger in the vehicle.

Here are four recent news items from the Genesee County Economic Development Center:

• Gov. David Paterson awarded GCEDC a $3.9-million grant to upgrade the short rail line in and around the new Genesee County Agri-Business Park off of Route 5 in the Town of Batavia. The grant money comes from a 2005 bond act for transportation infrastructure in New York. The 202-acre park offers shovel ready industrial land for food processors. Business Facilities Magazine recently named Genesee and Livingston counties as the second-best food processing area in the nation, citing both the Oakta Milk Products facility and the new agri-park in its article.
• National Grid has awarded GCEDC with $275,000 in grants to further the development of the Buffalo East Tech Park in Pembroke. The 300-acre site is adjacent the Pembroke exit of the Thruway, giving the development area easy access to Buffalo and Rochester. Sixty-seven acres of the park are shovel ready for business development.
• Sale-tax exemptions totaling $12,000 were awarded to Bruce Scofield, LLC, for reopening a transfer station and recycling center at 8620 Sanders Road, Stafford. The location will serve area residents and businesses with a facility to dispose of waste and recyclables. The facility has been approved by the DEC to receive 150 tons of solid waste per day and 75 tons of recyclables per day. For every $1 of tax exemption, the project is expected to return $141 in public benefit over the next 10 years. Scofield will invest $150,000 in the project.
• Pineyard Acres, LLC, of 6256 Clinton St. Road, Stafford, is receiving a $29,500 property-tax exemption, a $14,600 sales-tax exemption and a $4,000 mortgage-tax exemption for expansion of its business from 1,400 square feet to 5,600 square feet. For every $1 of tax exemption, the local economy should receive $210 in public benefit over the next 10 years, according to the GCEDC.  Pineyard Acres is expected to invest $335,000 in the expansion.

Austin W. Smith, 24, of Batavia, is charged with DWI and aggravated DWI. Smith was reportedly involved in an accident at 8:24 p.m., Saturday, on Route 262, Town of Elba. The accident was investigated by State Police. (initial report)

Steven M. Keaton, 38, of 50 Gilbert St., Le Roy, is charged with three counts of criminal contempt, 2nd. Keaton is accused of violating an order of protection by being with the protected person on three different occasions.

Cassandra Kay Dembik, 18, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with unlawfully dealing with a child. Dembik is accused of hosting an underage drinking party.

Lawrence Joseph Owczarczak, 55, of West Point Drive, East Amherst, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Owczarczak is accused of grabbing a young man by the arm on Friday evening.

David N. Taplin, 33, of 16 Skyline Circle, Brockport, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Taplin reportedly turned himself in at Batavia Police headquarters in regard to a bench warrant.

Jerry T. Saddler Jr., of 112 State St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Saddler is accused of violating an order of protection by allegedly contacting a woman he was barred from contacting.

Gregory Seppe, 52, with no permanent address, is charged with criminal trespass, 2nd. Seppe is accused of entering a dwelling on Columbia Avenue without permission. Seppe was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Nicholas A. Antonucci, 23, of 4192 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of marijuana. Antonucci is accused of repeatedly shouting obscenities at 10:45 p.m., Friday, while in a parking lot at 214 E. Main St., Batavia.

Jodi L. Reed, 38, of 7428 Pearl St. Road, Oakfield, is charged with possession of a forged instrucment, 2nd, and petit larceny. Reed is accused of passing a forged check at a local bank on Aug. 3.

A car accident has been reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 385 in the westbound lane.

There is air bag deployment.

No reports on injuries yet.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 11:27 p.m: A vehicle is blocking a lane. No word yet on injuries.

UPDATE 11:36 p.m.:  No definitive word on injuries, but this is not sounding serious.

Genesee County Republicans gathered at 5 Jackson St. today to officially open their local campaign headquarters.

More than 100 people showed up, according to Legislator Jay Grasso, who added that many new faces were in the crowd.

Above, Steve Hawley, left and County Clerk Don Read with a member of the party.

Victory was sweet for the Batavia Blue Devils on Friday as they took down Bishop-Kearney 38-20.

It was Senior Night and the Van Detta Stadium stands were packed with friends and family as 13 varsity players appeared on their home field for probably the last time.

"I'm just so happy for the seniors," said Head Coach Dan Geiger. "These guys have just worked so hard all year. They're a team that really touches my heart and their work ethic and their stick-to-it-iveness and come out on Senior Night and have a big game, I'm just really proud of them."

It was a big night for senior Ryan Pyatt who ran for 237 yards and scored his first three touchdowns of the season.

Another senior, QB Aaron Gugel, whose 2010 was his first full season in his high-school career, also had a big night, completing four of eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also had 11 tackles on defense.

Sophomore Justin Washington had four big catches, including one for a touchdown. He gained 81 yards.

Senior Spencer Stressing helped lead the defense with two and a half sacks while Senior Kyle King made eight tackles.

At 2-4, Batavia travels to Wellsville for a must-win game Friday. If the Blue Devils can beat Wellsville (0-6), the team will gain the eight-seed spot in sectionals.

Here's how they scored:

Francisco Martinez, eight-yard run
Kyle King, safety
Ryan Pyatt, nine-yard run
Justin Washington, 12-yard pass from Aaron Gugel
Ryan Pyatt, 51-yard run
Ryan Pyatt, 55-yard run

In other Genesee County football Friday and Saturday:

• Elba/Byron-Bergen moved to 4-2 with a win over Oakfield-Alabama (0-6), 35-14. Dylan Bordonaro gained 169 yards 22 carries, scoring twice, and Eric Kowalik went 5-for-10, passing for 122 yards and one touchdown;
• Cal-Mum beat Le Roy 42-0;
• Alexander fell to 0-6 with a 26-10 loss to Holley (5-1);
• Pemroke (5-1) beat Notre Dame (3-3), 20-13. Caine Cole gained 168 yards and scored two touchdowns on 30 rushes. Trevor Gray made 17 tackles for Pembroke and recovered a fumble, while Wyatt Chittenden added 10 tackles and two interceptions. For the Irish, Mike Pratt ran for 107 yards on 21 carries.

Next week, Pembroke travels to Holley for a 1:30 game on Saturday afternoon that pits two of the three teams in the Geneesee Region division that have 5-1 records. Attica, also 5-1, hosts Elba/Byron-Bergen (4-2).

More pictures from Batavia's Senior Night after the jump:

City firefighters were back in training mode Friday afternoon, getting more practice with a safety system that will help them escape a burning building if they ever become trapped on a second floor or higher during a fire.

Chief James Maxwell said that in order to help personnel achieve the proficiency in the system he thinks they need (see previous story), he's now requiring the firefighters practice with the system at least once a quarter rather than only twice per year.

Not to be one to ask of his firefighters something he wouldn't do himself, Maxwell went through the training today as well.

Above, Firefighter Harmon goes through the drill. After the jump, Chief Maxwell and Firefighter Anne Kleinbach.

An alarm system and quick response from the Batavia City Fire Department saved a home on East Avenue from destruction tonight when a fire started in the kitchen while the homeowners were away.

The alarm came in at 7:41 p.m. at 224 East Ave., Batavia, and when firefighters arrived on scene, according to Capt. Craig Williams, the inferno building inside wasn't obvious.

"When pulled up we could hear an audible alarm sounding but couldn’t see any smoke," Williams said. "There was nobody home at the time. It was closed up tight. When we went to the front door, we could smell something burning inside and we could see steam on the inside of all the windows, so it was pretty hot in there."

During an exterior check of the house, a firefighter saw flames through a rear window, so crews broke in through the front door.

The kitchen was quickly fully involved and firefighters began beating back the flames from a front window, pushing the fire toward the back of the house.

Chief James Maxwell credited the crews with a quick, strategic response for saving the structure. As rapidly as fire can spread, without either the alarm or the fast response, the whole structure could have become engulfed quickly.

The home, owned by Jeffery and Rebecca Oshlag, suffered $30,000 damage from what is officially classified as an accidental fire.

The kitchen was destroyed and there was heavy smoke and heat damage throughout the house.

Two cats survived the fire. One suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to a veterinary clinic. It is expected to survive. (NOTE: See comment below from Rachel Oshlag -- one of the cats, an orange tabby, is still missing. Rachel believes it's in the neighborhood someplace.)

Rebecca Oshlag said she was grateful for the alarm system and the quick response from the fire department.

She also praised Nancy Nickerson and Sean Valdes, owners of the D&R Depot in Le Roy, where she and her husband were having dinner. 

She said they had just sat down when Jeffery received the call about the fire alarm.  Thinking that it was a false alarm, Jeffery hopped in his car and headed toward the house, planning to return to dinner.

When they found out it was a real fire, Rebecca said she approached Nancy and said she had a problem -- there was a fire at her house and Jeffery had already left. Sean drove Rebecca home.

"It was wonderful, wonderful help from the Depot," Rebecca said. "It's one of the advantages of small-town living."

(initial report)

Photo: Submitted by a reader.

A fire is reported at a residence at 224 East Ave. in the City of Batavia.

City firefighters and Mercy medics are responding following a fire alarm there. A second fire platoon is requested to standby in headquarters. Batavia police are helping with traffic control.

National Grid is being notified about the incident, but no other details have yet been reported. The occupants are not home.

UPDATE (7:57 p.m.): The fourth platoon is requested to standby in headquarters and the second platoon is called to the scene. It is reportedly a fully involved kitchen fire.

UPDATE (8 p.m.): Firefighters on scene are told to come in through the back sliding glass doors. The homeowner is en route according to the alarm company.

UPDATE (8:03 p.m.): The fire is "knocked down." National Grid is expected momentarily. Traffic barricades are soon to be delivered.

UPDATE (8:07 p.m.): The homeowners are on scene. One cat has been rescued, but firefighters are told there's another one still inside the home.

UPDATE (8:19 p.m.): The firefighters are now doing "overhaul" to ensure the fire's complete extinction.

Here's information from a news release:

The completion of Jerome Senior Apartments in Batavia was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

Jerome Senior Apartments is a 37-unit affordable senior community owned and managed by Conifer Management. This brand-new complex is available for seniors 62+, and is located within the United Memorial Jerome Center, which makes it possible for residents to ride an elevator to appointments within the center.

The complex hosts a variety of services and amenities to accommodate the specific and individual needs of its residents. These include Energy Star-rated appliances, wall-to-wall berber carpets, window treatments, an emergency call system, a controlled building-access system, a community room, an exercise room, a computer lab and more.

It is located near financial institutions, churches, the senior center and shopping areas.

“It is heartening to see this type of housing made available for our citizens,” Assemblyman Stephen Hawley said. "It is equally impressive that the former St. Jerome Hospital has been refurbished instead of torn down…our history continues, intact, with existing structures instead of tearing down and starting all over!”

The complex is located at the site of the St. Jerome Hospital, 16 Bank St. Opened in 1917, the hospital was a iconic landmark of Batavia for more than 75 years. Several major renovations, notably in 1922 and 1947, display the unique architectural elements that were incorporated into the current renovation.

Jerome Senior Apartments share the building with professional and retail businesses, adding to the appeal for senior living in a mixed-use and accessible neighborhood.

Number of units: 37 affordable senior apartments
Unit type: One and two bedroom
Developer: Conifer Realty, LLC
Architect: Clark Patterson Lee
Contractor: Conifer-LeChase Construction, LLC
Not-for-profit partner: United Memorial Medical Center
Construction lender: Bank of Castile
Equity financing: M&T Bank/Tompkins Financial Corp.
Financing: $687,000 - DHCR Low Income

Housing tax credits: $4,690,245 -- 9-percent tax credit equity
(M&T Bank & Tompkins Financial Corp.)

$5,139,571 - NYS Housing Trust Fund TCAP
$703,000 - FHLB NY
$118,802 - FHLB Pittsburgh
$107,000 - NYSERDA
Sales Tax Exemption & PILOT - Genesee County Economic Development Center

The Democrats held an open house for their 2010 Genesee County Campaign Headquarters in the mall this evening.

Above, Chris Charvella explains how much he loves The Batavian (um, actually, I have no idea what he was talking about at the time). Below in the dark suit is Senate candidate Marc Coppola. Bonus picture for regular readers after the jump.

Dozens and dozens of people turned out to Go Art tonight for the release of Jim Nigro's first novel, "Tapestry: A Life Walk Among Friends."

When Nigro was at best about half way through signing copies of his book, he said his hand was getting tired. When I arrived, the line out the door was at least 20-people deep. When I left, it was still at least 20-people deep.

For more about the book and Jim, click here.

It was Pink Hatters Night at the Holiday Inn this evening.  The event is an annual breast cancer awareness program.

It included a Chinese auction, dinner, Dr. Nina Strollor as a speaker and a comedy variety show hosted by Nels Ross.

Jerry Arena is planning to open a new bar at property he owns on Park Road. He will call it The Ten Cent Millionaire Tavern. He intends it to be a relaxing, affordable environment for a couple of drinks and maybe some chicken wings or a burger. 

He's already bought an attractive curved -- and very long -- bar for inside and is working on remodeling now.

There are some permits to secure from the Town of Batavia and he will add more space on the back of the building.

If everything goes to plan, he expects to open in the spring. More realistically, he said, he will likely open later in the summer.

Ray England is 70 years old and lives in Albion. He cleans windows for a living and has a handful of clients in Downtown Batavia.

He was on Main Street this afternoon in his top hat and green scarf taking care of some shop windows when I met him.

He uses a contraption that he built himself. It's quite ingenious. One metal poll with a cleaning wand at the end. A tube is connected to the wand and an air-pressure garden sprayer on a pull cart. England can spray water up the tube and onto the window.

One advantage of the system, he said, is that his hands never get wet, so he can easily clean windows in winter.

The squeegee he uses to wipe the water off the windows has a swivel head so he can handle any shape, including rounded edges, of a window.

The idea for the design came to him after he was seriously hurt in an auto accident.

“My arm was broken in three places and split at the wrist," England said. "For two years I couldn’t use this arm. It was dead meat. That’s when the great Lord above, the great engineer, He designed the universe, showed me this idea. I put it together and I’ve been using it ever since."

England claims to have a patent on the design and would like to find a U.S. manufacturer to build it and sell it so Americans could be put to work, but he claims a German company stole his idea and is building the same system out of cheap plastic.

"Mine is made with steal and copper and I sell it for $600," England said. "They sell theirs for $1,700 and if you drop it, it breaks."