fire

(Post updated 10:18 p.m.)

A woman who'd been reportedly warned about smoking near her oxygen tank died tonight in a fire at 132 State St., Batavia.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but several people reported hearing explosions as the fire broke out.

Batavia Police Officer Chris Camp was the first on scene and reported a fully involved structure fire. Camp and witnesses tried to enter the residence to rescue the woman, but flames, fed by exploding oxygen tanks, prevented them from reaching her.

UPDATE 9:42 a.m., Wednesday: The woman has been identified as Mary E. Pawlukiewicz

The woman's husband arrived at the scene about 6:45 p.m., but other family members had not yet been notified, so the woman's identity was not released. She was 57, reportedly confined to a wheelchair and lived alone in a ground-floor apartment.

Batavia Fire Chief Ralph Hyde said city firefighters found the woman's body buried under rubble.

"That was hard on them," he said.

The complex was home to three families, according to landlord Chuck Pero.

"It's just too bad that it happened," Pero said. "She was warned about not smoking with the oxygen. She wouldn't listen to anybody."

When firefighters arrived on scene at 5:45 p.m., flames were already reaching into the attic, according to Hyde.

"I had some report of an oxygen tank exploding, which would have fed that fire very rapidly," Hyde said.

The investigation by Batavia fire and police remains ongoing at 10:15 p.m., with the assistance from Genesee County Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Hunt and and New York State Fire Investigator Montour Falls.

American Red Cross is assisting the other displaced families.

Above, after learning of a family member's death, relatives console each other with a fire official.

More pictures after the jump:

Above, residents remove an aquarium that firefighters carried from the building after the fire was out. One of the residents said the aquarium contained a bull python.

A house fire has been reported at 132 State St., Batavia.

It's a confirmed working structure fire in a four-unit complex.

Numerous explosions reported in the building. An elderly woman may still be in the building.

It's gone to a second alarm.

UPDATE(S)(Billie Owens)( (5:57 p.m.): They first accessed the basement. Soon thereafter over the scanner -- "We've pretty much got it knocked out," reports a firefighter at the scene. All occupants are out. They're checking the basement, first and second floors once more.

UPDATE (6:01 p.m.): Heard over the scanner: "We've got zero visability up here. Can we please get some windows broken out." Also, a Town of Batavia crew is heading to city fire headquarters for standby.

UPDATE (6:11 p.m.): They've almost got the fire out in the attic now, but need ventilation. There are no windows, so they're going to tear open the roof.

UPDATE (6:22 p.m.): City police have confirmed there is one fatality.

UPDATE (6:34 p.m.): The property owner, Chuck Pero, said the person who died in the fire was an older woman who'd lived there 15 years. He said she was recently warned not to smoke around her oxygen tank. But the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Also, National Grid is headed to the scene and American Red Cross is requested to assist one resident.

View Larger Map

Employees of Angelica Textile Services, located at 3 Apollo Drive in the City of Batavia, have been evacuated from the building following a smoke alarm.

It is reported that there is possibly a fire smoldering in a dryer vent, where some lint may have ignited during maintenance work.

A little smoke was seen coming out of an exhaust blower vent. A firefighter asked that the blower be turned on and "send a drying chemical right up through the system."

The company at that location provides linens and "textile solutions" to the healthcare industry.

A garage fire is reported at 8058 Bank St. Road in the Town of Batavia. The town's firefighters are responding and an engine is requested from Elba.

The roof of the garage is smoking and the cause is believed to be a wood stove.

Oakfield is filling in at Station 1 and Stafford is filling in at Station 2. Mercy EMS is nearby in case needed.

UPDATE (12:28 p.m.): Heavy fire is on the second floor moving to first floor.

UPDATE (12:32 p.m.): Elba fire police are requested at Bank Street Road and Hawley Road as well as Saille Drive and Bank Street Road.

UPDATE (12:37 p.m.): A portion of Bank Street Road is being closed to traffic. The fire is coming through the ceiling now and the firefighters are breaking up the middle of the structure to fight it.

UPDATE (1:19 p.m.): The fire is under control and a few minutes ago a fireman said "three sides look good."

Howard Owens took pictures at the fire scene, which he will post later today.

A car in a driveway at 31 Buffalo St., Bergen, is on fire.  It is reportedly close to a structure.

First responder from Bergen Fire is on scene. He describes it as "a working car fire."

UPDATE 5:31 p.m.: The fire is being held to the response of one Bergen engine.

View Larger Map

A barking dog alerted a 13-year-old boy and his sister to a fire in his home late this morning in Byron, allowing them both to get out of the house safely before the entire structure burst into flames.

Byron Fire Chief John Durand said the house was already fully involved and a total loss before the first fire truck arrived.

"It had a big head start on us," Durand said.

The house is located at 6137 Merrill Road and is owned by William R. Causyn. His daughter, Heidi, and son, Tyler Walls, were in the house when the fire started.

"They heard the dog bark and then saw fire and smoke inside the laundry room," Durand said. "They called 911 and got out of the house."

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

About dozen fire companies from Genesee, Monroe, Orleans and Livingston counties responded to the scene. The large response was necessary in part because the house is not on a street with a hydrant system, so tanker trucks were needed to shuttle water to the fire.

Upon arriving at the scene, Bergen's Deputy Chief Paul Cummings (pictured, right) acted quickly to disconnect the house's propane tank and roll it away safely from the residence.

Cummings works for Suburban Propane.

"I wouldn't just have anybody do it, but I knew he knew what he was doing," Durand said.

As for Cummings' bit of heroics, Genesee County Emergency Coordinator Tim Yaeger said, "That's what we do."

No firefighters were injured during the incident. 

Red Cross is on scene to assist the family.

Durand acknowledged the situation could have been a lot worse if the fire had erupted in the middle of the night.

"They were already up and about," Durand said. "It's not like if it was three o'clock in the morning and they had to get up and get dressed. There were able to get out as soon as somebody yelled 'fire.' At three o'clock in the morning, it's always possible it's a far different outcome."

UPDATE: We've added five pictures submitted by Ralf Kurzowski.

More pictures after the jump:

The following pictures were submitted by Ralf Kurzowski.

City Fire is responding to a report of smoke coming from a house at 124 Bank St., Batavia.

UPDATE 7:50 p.m.: May be exhaust from a furnace. 

UPDATE 8:06 p.m.: Engine 12, Ladder 15, back in service.

View Larger Map

Friends of a BOCES teacher who lost her home in East Bethany to a fire this morning have set up a trust fund to help her. She lost all of her possessions and three pets.

Cassandra Carlsen, who works at East Bethany Presbyterian Church, notified us this afternoon that a trust fund is established at Five Star Bank for Louise Ward. Anybody can make a donation.

The 58-year-old fire victim has been a member of the church since May.

"She's a wonderful person and it's just a tragedy that she lost her home and her pets are gone," Carlsen said.

Ward and her late husband, Bruce, purchased the house at 5823 E. Bethany-Le Roy Road about three years ago. Bruce was diagnosed with cancer some time later and died.

Carlsen said that Ward has been very involved in the church and church members have quickly stepped forward to offer support.

Meanwhile, the official press release from the Sheriff's Office has been released.

As reported previously, the fire appears to have started with a wood stove and the house was a total loss.

The initial calls of fire came in from Steve Weaver and Louis M. Reeb, who were passing by. After seeing the flames coming from the rear, southwest corner of the house. Reeb immediately knocked on the doors and windows to alert any possible occupants, but got no response.

The house was insured through Tompkins Insurance Agency.

To donate, mail checks to: FIVE STAR BANK, 124 W. Main St., Le Roy, NY, 14482; Attention: Louise Ward Trust Fund.

UPDATE:  Photos added. The house was knocked down both as a safety precaution to prevent anybody from entering an unsafe strurcture and to help fight the fire. Crews were on scene about 4 p.m. to knock out a hot spot that flared up.

A house at 5823 E. Bethany-Le Roy Road, East Bethany, is reportedly on fire.

Callers report the house is fully involved.

East Bethany, Stafford and Alexender were dispatched on the first alarm. A second alarm is being initiated.

UPDATE 10 a.m. (on scene): The house appears to be a total loss even while firefighters continue to battle the blaze. The owner was not at home and has been contacted. She lived alone and said nobody else would have been in the house. The fire appears to have started in the area of a wood stove. The stairwell to the second floor was engulfed and firefighters were forced to leave the interior of the house. Without interior firefighters, it's become a much harder fire to fight.

UPDATE 10:22 a.m.: The owner of the home is Louise Ward, 58. She is on scene and confirmed with officials that no other people were in the house. There were, however, a dog and two cats inside.

UPDATE 12:06 p.m.: We left the scene about an hour ago, but spoke with Fire Coordinator Tim Yaeger before leaving. Yaeger confirmed that firefighters were inside for about 10 or 15 minutes before the integrity of the stairway was compromised. From that point on, the volunteers were required to fight the fire from the exterior only. He called the house a total loss. Yaeger anticipated it would be hours before the fire would be extinguished, and it may require bringing in heavy equipment to knock down parts of the structure. The dog and two cats were believed to have died in the fire. The fire appears to have started in the wood stove area. Volunteer fire departments from throughout the eastern part of Genesee County responded to the fire, including (but not limited to), Bethany, East Bethany, Pavilion, Alexander, Le Roy and Bergen.

UPDATE 12:23 p.m.

Mobile phone video submitted by a reader at the scene:

UPDATE 2:09 p.m.: It sounds like most of the remaining units are going back in service. Tim Yaeger and his staff are back in service.

More pictures after the jump (below the map):

View Larger Map

A van in the roadway on Route 77 just north of Gabby Road is reportedly on fire.

The van is unoccupied at this time.  The van is reportedly fully involved.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire are being dispatched.

UPDATE 6:42 a.m.: East Pembroke's tanker is being dispatched.

A few transformers have been reported either on fire or arcing in the Indian Falls area.

The latest fire is at Indian Falls Road and Route 5.

There may also be transformers arcing near the Thruway.

East Pembroke and Indian Falls fire are responding to the calls.

UPDATE 10:38 p.m.: The transformer fire at Indian Falls and Route 5 blew itself out. National Grid is on scene.

City Fire is being dispatched to 8 Masse Place for the report of a furnace explosion.

View Larger Map

What started as a report of electric lines arcing is now believed to be a structure fire at 6296 Knowlesville Road, Alabama.

Alabama Fire has requested mutual aide from Oakfield Fire.

UPDATE 9:10 p.m.: Firefigher reports smoke pumping from a wall. They're going to open up the wall.

UPDATE 9:27 p.m.: Oakfield units back in service.

View Larger Map

City Fire is being dispatched -- non-emergency -- to 130 Bank St., the scene of yesterday's fire for the smell of propane.

"The caller believes it's from a tank she relocated," according to the dispatcher.

A fire at 130 Bank St., Batavia, destroyed an old garage and the items inside and partially damaged a neighbor's garage.

The fire was reported about 10:45 a.m. when a resident came home and saw smoke coming from the garage. By the time fire crews were on scene, flames were visible.

The homeowner, a 47-year resident, said he lost an ATV, snow blower, two bikes and other equipment. While Chief Ralph Hyde said he suspected a wood-burning stove in the garage, the owner said he had recently cleaned the stove and it wasn't in use at the time. He suspected it was an electrical fire.

Kelly Herold, a claims supervisor for Tompkins Insurance, was on scene quickly meeting with her clients. She watched the City's firefighters move quickly to dose the flames.

“The Fire Department did a great job," Herold observed. "It was a good save. They were able to contain the fire to the barn with limited damage to the surrounding homes."

The photo was submitted by reader Tricia Zdep. The bottom two photos were submitted by another reader.

A blue Pontiac Trans Am is on fire with flames coming from the engine on the eastbound side of East Main Street between 400 Towers and Pizza Hut.

Firefighters are responding to a report of a possible house fire in Pavilion. There is reportedly fire inside a wall at a house located at 11072 South Lake Road -- Route 19, just north of Route 63, across from the old fire hall.

A second alarm has been called and there is visible smoke.

UPDATE 5:50 p.m.: Besides Pavilion, emergency responders are coming in from Alexander, York, Perry, Le Roy, Stafford, Bethany and a fast team from the Town of Batavia. The fast team from the City of Batavia was unavailable due to mechanical problems.

A clothes drier has been pulled from the wall. Fire seems to be contained within the wall behind the drier.

UPDATE 6 p.m.: Per Pavilion fire command, the fire is contained and all units are returning to service except Pavilion, a fill-in team from Wyoming County at the Pavilion Fire Hall and an ambulence from York.

UPDATE 6:28 p.m.: Fire is out, scene is clear, all units returning to service.

Elba Fire is being dispatched to 13 Chapel St. for a possible house fire.

There may be a fire in one of the walls of the residence.

A chimney fire has been reported at 6154 Main Road, Stafford, directly across from the Stafford Fire Hall.

UPDATE 6:05 p.m.: Fire is out.

View Larger Map