A resident at 511 Ellicott St., Batavia, was seriously hurt in a 1:57 a.m. fire, according to City Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano.
The woman was rescued from a second-floor bedroom by firefighters shortly after the alarm came into City Station.
It took city crews about three minutes to arrive on scene, Napolitano said.
The victim was transported to UMMC by Mercy EMS and then transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital. Napolitano said he believed her to be in critical condition with lung damage.
Her name has not yet been released.
The fire may have started in the kitchen area, cause unknown at this time, but the fire is still under investigation, the chief said.
When the first crew arrived, heavy smoke and flames were showing from a first-floor window on the east side of the structure. Firefighters made an aggressive initial attack, he said, while other firefighters used a ladder to reach a second-floor window to rescue the woman who was trapped upstairs.
Five adults and one child lived in the two apartments, according to the chief, and the four other adults and the child escaped the fire unharmed.
All have been provided shelter by the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross will provide further assistance.
One apartment unit is still habitable, the chief said, but all utilities were cut off during the fire and have not yet been restored.
The fire quickly went to a second alarm and additional city crews responded. Alexander Fire's Fast Team also responded along with a heavy rescue truck from Le Roy Fire Department to assist with refilling air bottles. Town of Batavia fire filled in at the city fire station to cover city calls during the incident.
Batavia PD and Batavia DPW also assisted at the scene.
Photos by Frank Capuano.
