Bergen

Fifteen volunteer firefighters from five companies in Genesee County are headed east this morning to assist in relief and recovery efforts in one of the hardest hit areas of the state from Hurricane Irene.

The volunteers gathered at the Emergency Servcies Training Center on State Street Road at 6:30 a.m. to be briefed on their mission by County Coordinator Tim Yaeger.

The group then headed to the Thruway to make it to Schoharie County by noon for a 72-hour deployment.

"They're in bad shape down there and now they've got more rain coming," said Yaeger, who was among the state's emergency coordinators dispatched to the region right after the storm hit.

The firefighters will be relieving other volunteers who have been working in the county since the storm hit last week.

"There's still places that are getting drops by Blackhawk helicopters of food and water because they're still isolated," Yaeger said.

Yaeger said it's amazing what these guys have signed up for with no pay. They will likely be sleeping on cots, living on pizza and pumping sewage out of basements during their 12-hour shifts.

They might also be called upon to deliver relief supplies to residents isolated by storm damage or just help with general clean up and recovery.

"And they're offended if I don't offer them a chance to go," Yaeger said. "These guys have been waiting for this for a week."

Darien Chief Dale Breitwieser couldn't make the deployment, but he was at the training center this morning to see off the three volunteers from his department.  He said it's events like this where you see that volunteers are a special breed of person.

"There will be volunteers there from all over the state and they'll all pull together," Breitwieser said.

Besides Darien, participating departments are Bergen, Town of Batavia and Stafford along with staff from Emergency Services.

Yaeger is not joining this group, though he may be deployed later today to Green County where a village of 700 people in the Town of Plattsville was wiped off the map. The town supervisor lost his house and his gas station and now he's trying to help his town through the devastation, Yaeger said.

The Albany Times Union has a photo slide show of the damage in Schoharie County.

Bergen, NY - The Bergen Fire Department was dispatched to 7665 Swamp Road for a reported house fire this afternoon. Chief Paul Cummings reported heavy fire from the garage of the single-story residence upon his arrival.

Mutual aid was requested from 13 area departments, which either assisted at the scene or filled in. Chief Cummings reported "we were short on manpower" in this all-volunteer, rural community.

During their attack on the fire, it became unsafe for firefighters to operate inside the structure and an exterior attack eventually brought the stubborn fire under control. One firefighter said that "the extensive collection of personal belongings gathered inside made it hazardous to be inside."

A neighbor reported hearing a "pop or explosion" shortly before he witnessed firetrucks pulling up outside.

An excavator from Thompson and Dilcher was brought to the scene to raze the structure and few personal belongings were salvageable.

The Genesee County Office of Emergency Management was investigating the cause of the fire and the American Red Cross was providing assistance to two adults.

The following departments reposnded to the scene or provided fill-ins; LeRoy, Churchville, Chili, Clifton, City of Batavia, Town of Batavia, Brockport, Byron, South Byron, Stafford, Spencerport, Pavillion and Clarendon.

Visit www.bergenfiredept.com for more information or to volunteer.

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An explosion in a garage located at 7665 Swamp Road in Bergen has sparked a possible structure fire. The garage, which is attached to the house, is full of smoke. Bergen and Le Roy fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 3:47 p.m.: A second platoon of firefighters from the Town of Batavia is called to standby in its fire hall. National Grid is called to the scene. The Bergen fire chief has called for power saws and an infrared camera. Brockport is called to fill in at Bergen's hall.

UPDATE 4 p.m.: The homeowner asked about the status of the fire. The chief says "It doesn not appear to have made it into the house yet." An engine and more manpower from the Town of Batavia is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 6:52 p.m. (by Howard): The house is a total loss. The amount of items stored inside kept firefighters from entering the house and the attack was conducted strictly from the outside. While the fire is now smoldering with much of the house still standing, the only way, according to Chief Paul Cummings, to ensure the fire is completely out is to knock down the structure with a backhoe. That process started around 6 p.m. We'll have complete coverage later tonight. 

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: Swamp Road is reopened.

Photo submitted by reader Doug Waite.

A fully involved barn fire is reported in Le Roy at 8029 W. Bergen Road. All available Le Roy equipment is called in, including mutual assistance from Bergen and Pavilion fire departments. Le Roy medics are also en route.

A 16-gallon oxygen tank is reported to be inside, according to the homeowner.

UPDATE 8:25 p.m.: An engine from Churchville is called to fill in at Bergen's fire hall. Monroe County Water Authority is to be notified that some of their hydrants will be used in fighting the blaze.

UPDATE 8:29 p.m.: An engine from Stafford is called to fill in at Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:43: A pumper truck from Caledonia is on scene, too, and fire police are mustering to handle nearby roadways.

UPDATE 11:52 p.m.: Le Roy Fire back in service.

A 33-year-old Bergen woman is charged with second-degree assault following an investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office into an altercation after the Aug. 12 Rascal Flatts concert at Darien Lake.

The arrest report released today alleges that Carolyn Marie Smith, who lives on McCabe Court, was in the parking lot and struck another person in the face while holding her iPhone. This allegedly caused the victim to suffer a severe laceration.

She was arrested Wednesday and arraigned in Darien Town Court before Justice Gary Graber, then released on her own recognizance until a later court date.

The incident was investigated by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello with the assistance of Deputy Patrick Reeves.

A motorcyclist and passenger have taken off on foot following an apparent rollover accident on Route 19 in Bergen.

A fire chief asked for a description of the suspects said, "law enforcement is well versed with them and has a description."

Bergen Fire Department initially dispatched along with Mercy EMS.

A fire unit is continuing its response non-emergency.

The original caller did not see the accident but heard the motorcycle "roll over several times."

Douglas James Clark, 40, of 4224 Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Oakfield, is charged with assault, 3rd. Clark is accused of throwing a rock at a person at 4 p.m., June 24, in Batavia. The victim was injured.

Charles Joseph Finnin, 41, of State Street Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Finnin is accused of pushing another person during an argument.

Ronald Jason Scroger, 31, Swan Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Scroger is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

Katelyn Christen Kubala, 22, of Maple Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kubala is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

Jason Lance Washington, 21, of Eller Street, Buffalo. Washington was turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office by the Erie County Holding Center upon his release from custody on a bench warrant out of Bergen Town Court. The original charge is grand larceny, 4th. Washington was jailed in lieu of $1,500 cash or $2,000 bond.

Submitted by Eric Boyce:

Linus Chumba, of Nyack, wins the 20th annual Jenny Kuzma Memorial Bergen 5K by running away from the field on Saturday. 

Chumba led from start to finish and set a new course record with a time of 14:26. The pervious course record was 14:36 by Kyle Heath, of Syracuse. 

Chumba came from New York City in search of the Bergen 5K prize money the night before the race by bus, where he told the race director that he got less than two hours of sleep. 

On the women's side, Maegan Krifchin, a 2010 Syracuse graduate, won the race and also set a new course record by running 16:29, three seconds off of her fastest 5K time ever. 

Krifchin was the 4th-place finisher amid the 1st-place American at the Utica Boilermaker 15K race, which had over 11,000 runners.  

This year's race saw the top 50 finishers running 17:12 or faster. 

The Bergen 5K is one of the most competitive 5K races in New York State and had 260 finishers on Saturday. 

Results, videos and photos can be found at  www.bergenroadrace.com