accident

A pickup truck has reportedly hit a parked box truck in the area of 6366 Big Tree Road., Pavilion.

Injuries were reported but the latest info from the scene is that everybody is walking around so Pavilion Fire can proceed non-emergency. 

The driver behind the wheel of a minivan that struck a utility pole Wednesday afternoon on Law Street, causing a significant power surge in the area, has not been located yet.

Sgt. Mitch Cowen said Thursday morning that police are pretty confident they know who the driver was, that he's not from the area and that the vehicle was not stolen.

Cowen said police are looking for him in order to question him about the accident.

Witnesses saw the man running from the accident and provided a description to police.  A K-9 was deployed shortly after the accident in an attempt to find his trail, but that effort failed to find the driver.

At least 287 homes in the area of Chestnut Street, South Jackson, and to both the north and south of those streets, lost power.  The power surge caused electric meters on the outside of dozens of homes to blow out, with some of those houses displaying visible black char marks around the meters. 

National Grid crews worked through Thanksgiving morning restoring power.  The pole and main power line to the area were in working order by 10 or 11 p.m. on Wednesday night after crews worked to restore power to each house one at a time.  The meters on all 287 homes were replaced.  For residents who were not home last night, crews returned Thursday morning to locate them and complete the work (power at the breaker box needed to be turned off before the meter was replaced).

"When high voltage lines are negatively impacted, as they were last night, it can create an unsafe condition for residences," said David Bertola, a spokesman for National Grid. "The pulling, checking and replacing of electric meters is a standard safety procedure that our crews perform under circumstances such as these."

A worker last night recommended residents check all surge protectors. He said residents would know right away if the surge protector was blown.  If they were off before power was restored, when turned back on, if blown, they will spark and smoke. If already plugged in, they may no longer work.  Some may work but should have a light to indicate they no longer provide surge protection.

Each surge protector is rated differently. Some surge protectors can handle larger bursts of energy but can never exceed their rated capacity, and the capacity is cumulative. As HowToGeek.com notes, if a surge protector is rated for 1,000 joules of energy and it gets one joule at a time over a period of time, it will need to be replaced after 1,000 incidents.  If a highly rated surge protector takes a major power surge, it may still function but it may also be near the end of its life span.

Replacing all surge protectors after a major power event is often recommended by experts.

The Batavian spoke to an electrician today who recommended checking all appliances.  Anything receiving an active electrical current at the time of Wednesday's surge could be toast, or close to it.

At least one resident in the area is without heat after the power surge damaged the circuitry of the forced air heater.

A National Grid crew member advised residents who suffered an economic loss as a result of the power surge to file a claim with National Grid.

Bertola said customers with claims can email National Grid at ClaimsDept@nationalgrid.com or by calling (315) 428-6536.

A law enforcement source said that typically, National Grid attempts to recover damages from the driver's insurance company -- and it appears this driver was insured -- when an accident damages a utility pole.

The damages, in this case, could include the pole and all of the subsequent residential repair work and any damages sustained by residents.

An accident that occurred around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday involved one vehicle that hit and wrapped around a utility pole on Law Street, betwen Chestnut and Walnut streets in Batavia.

Before emergency responders arrived on scene, the driver fled the scene. Someone provided a description of the driver to law enforcement, and a K9 search has proceeded on Ganson Avenue heading east.

There are reports of power being out at the courthouse and in the Jackson Street area. Firefighters have been told that numerous electric meters blew out on Jackson Street.

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. (by Howard Owens): National Grid reports 287 customers without power in the Chestnut and Jackson Streat area.  Power crews are on scene and beginning work.  National Grid estimates restoring power by 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE 6 p.m.: National Grid now estimates power restored at 11:30 p.m

Photos by Howard Owens.

A two-car motor vehicle accident has been reported at Route 77 and Ledge Road, Alabama.

A person reportedly has a leg injury.

Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

A motor vehicle accident with a possible head injury is reported on Route 33 just west of Horseshoe Lake Road, Stafford.

Stafford Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 10:14 p.m. A chief on scene reports two vehicles roadside and the bridge is "really icy."

A vehicle has reportedly struck a pedestrian in the area of 9430 Alexander Road, Batavia.

The pedestrian has a possible leg injury and is conscious and alert.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 3:53 p.m.: The patient was struck by a door that came off a motor vehicle that was involved in a motor vehicle accident. He is being transported to UMMC.

Bethany Fire has been dispatched to Route 20 and Transit Road for a woman who fell off a motorcycle.

A chief on scene reports back pain and possible extremity injuries. The chief says he doesn't see anything too traumatic.

The woman was a passenger on the bike it it appears to have been a slow fall.

Mercy Flight out of Olean is on a ground standby until Mercy medics arrive on scene and can evaluate the patient.

UPDATE 12:24 p.m.: Mercy Flight is not required.

UPDATE 12:35 p.m.: Patient being transported to Strong. Bethany back in service.

A vehicle rollover accident with two people trapped is reported in the area of 6120 Main Road, Stafford.

The vehicle is reportedly on its roof.

Stafford Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

Dispatchers are checking on the availability of Mercy Flight.  Mercy Flight #8 out of Olean is the only one available.

Fire police are requested to shutdown Route 237 and at Clipnock Road.

UPDATE 4:11 p.m.: No need for Mercy Flight. Two patients, minor injuries, according to a medic on scene.

A motorcycle accident is reported at the Oak Street roundabout.

The initial report was that the cyclist was down but now dispatchers are reporting that he is up and getting out of the roadway.

City Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

A southbound semi-truck collected and took for a ride a large tree branch on Route 63 near Mayne Road, Stafford, around 4:30 p.m. today.

Stafford Fire responded to the call.

Reader-submitted photo.

A one-vehicle rollover accident is reported in the area of Batavia Stafford Townline Road, Batavia, near Fotch Road.

There is entrapment, but injuries are believed to be minor.

Town of Batavia and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:41 a.m.: Engine 20 can respond non-emergency.  Engine 24 can return to quarters. One occupant out of the vehicle upon a chief's arrival.  

UPDATE 1:43 a.m.: Engine 20 can return to quarters. Assignment back in service. Mercy medics are out with the patient.

A vehicle fire is reported following a collision between a tractor-trailer and a passenger car.

Both occupants are out of the car.

A chief approaching reports heavy black smoke.

The Thruway is blocked.

Pembroke and Indian Falls initially dispatched with mutual aid from Corfu but the location now appears to be in East Pembroke's district, so an East Pembroke chief dispatched.

UPDATE 12:28 p.m.: The westbound Thruway is going to be "shut down for a while," a chief advises. There is also a large fuel spill. The Thruway is asked to assist with traffic control.  The accident may involve two trucks. One truck is "burned off" and whatever fuel was there is gone "but I don't know how much has gone down into the ditch," says a chief.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.  Two semi-trucks were involved, no passenger vehicle. One driver transported to an area hospital for evaluation. The burned out truck was hauling bags of soup.

Photos by Jim Reinhardt, except bottom photo.

Photo submitted by Marge Behl.

An accident involving a motorcycle is reported in the area of 3875 West Main Street Road, Batavia.

The motorcyclist is reportedly down in the road.

Town of Batavia Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:51 p.m.: No collision, according to a deputy on scene. A motorcyclist tried to break quickly after a car in front of him slowed suddenly, and he lost control of the bike.  The motorcyclist sustained minor injuries and will be transported for evaluation. 

An 89-year-old Alexander woman died this evening after being struck by the mirror of a passing pickup truck in the area of 10342 West Bethany Road, Alexander, shortly after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office reports.

Investigators believe Ruth McVay, of Alexander, was crossing West Bethany Road at about 4:06 p.m. near the crest of a hill while a 2013 Ford F-150 driven by Patrick G. McCormack, 55, of Darien, was traveling southbound.

When McCormack came over the crest of the hill, he spotted McVay in the roadway and tried to avoid hitting her.  The driver's side mirror, however, struck her, causing serious injuries.

McCormack stopped immediately and called 9-1-1.

McVay was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy EMS (Mercy Flight was grounded due to weather) where she died as a result of her injuries.

The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff's Office, including the Crash Management Team.  Assisting at the scene were the Alexander Fire Department and Mercy EMS.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

A car has reportedly hit a pedestrian in the area of 10368 West Bethany Road, Alexander.

The patient is unconscious but breathing.

Mercy Flight is unavailable because of weather.

Alexander Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

An Alexander chief is on scene.

UPDATE 4:12 p.m.: A serious injury is reported.

UPDATE 4:51 p.m.: Multiple investigators on scene.  The patient was transported to Strong.

Shortly after 8 p.m on Thursday night, a car that had been southbound on Jackson Street struck a fire hydrant on Chestnut Street, in the City of Batavia.

A reader submitted a video of the collision.

The reader believes police officers located the vehicle a short time later on South Jackson.  

We have no information from Batavia PD yet on the case.

A two-car motor vehicle accident is reported in the area of 7581 Oatka Trail, Le Roy.

One vehicle is smoking, and the other one is rolled over.

Le Roy Fire, Le Roy Ambulance, and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:14 p.m.: Fire police requested to shutdown traffic in the area.

A tractor-trailer rollover accident is reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 397.8 of the Thruway in the eastbound lane.

Multiple injuries reported.

Traffic is backing up.

East Pembroke Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

A five-car accident with injuries is reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 404.7, Pembroke in the westbound lane.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

There is a second call, a medical call, in the district at the same time and Le Roy Ambulance is requested to respond.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m.: One caller reports a person is trapped.  Mercy Flight out of Olean is on ground standby.

UPDATE 2:07 p.m.: Alabama requested to respond to the high school.

UPDATE 2:08 p.m.: Thruway westbound is totally stopped, according to a first responder.

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: Alabama is setting up a landing zone.  A chief on scene now reports, however, that it's only a two-vehicle accident, three injuries, no entrapment.

UPDATE 2:14 p.m.: Mercy Flight was en route but is canceled.

A head-on, two-vehicle collision, believed to be with injuries, is reported at Bloomingdale Road and Purdy Road, Alabama.

Alabama Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.