Pavilion

Fire photographer Jay Lynch was the first person on the scene last night of the house fire on Hutchinson Street, Pavilion. He provided these pictures of the early stages of the fire.

For more of Jay's fire photography, visit his Web site.

Previously: Quick response by volunteers at Pavilion fire saves a woman's life, her home and her pets

Quick work by volunteer firefighters responding to an initially vague report of a fire in Pavilion helped save a woman's life, save her two dogs and save most of her house, even though flames were shooting 25 feet in the air when firefighters first arrived.

Dispatchers initially received a call of flames or a red glow in the area of Route 19 at 11:36 p.m.

The alarm was sounded for the Pavilion Fire Department and volunteers roused from their beds started heading toward the fire hall, said Chief Paul Dougherty.

"The initial report put the fire at or near one of our member's homes, so he was able to tell us immediately it wasn't there," Dougherty said. "On his way to the station he saw where it was coming from and he was able to direct us to the location."

The fire was at 6918 Hutchinson St., a three-store Victorian built in 1860 and owned by Celia Milroy.

Milroy was home alone, sleeping, at the time the fire started. It started, apparently, her back porch.

Dougherty and another firefighter were first on scene and were advised by a Time Warner employee who was on his way to work that there might still be a person in the house.

The firefighters forced their way into the residence and broke through a glass window on the door and yelled to rouse Milroy.

She was initially skeptical that her house was on fire and wasn't in a particular hurry to leave, Dougherty said.

"It wasn't that she was scared," Dougherty said. "She was just taking her time. 'Let me get my shoes on.' 'Lady we don't have time for that.' We asked her if he had a key to the door because we'd knocked the glass out to yell into her, and we said, 'Lady, come on, do you have the key to this door? Can you open this door for us?" 'Just a minute. Just a minute.'" Dougherty chuckles recalling the conversation. "'We're in a bit of a hurry here, ma'am.' "

When she got out on the side porch and saw the flames, Dougherty said, that's when she was convinced her house was on fire.

Using Pavilion's foam truck and mutual aid from Le Roy, Bethany, York and Wyoming, firefighters were able to act quickly and save the house.

The enclosed back porch was heavily damaged, but most of the worse damage to the back half of the house is from smoke and water, Dougherty said. The front half of the house wasn't damaged at all.

Interior firefighters knocked the fire back pretty quickly, but with older homes and what is known as "balloon construction" the biggest danger is unseen flames climbing up the outside walls and into the attic.

"The quicker we could get in attic and make sure it wasn't traveling up there, the better," Dougherty said.

The roof was vented, which drew the flames up through the hole, giving firefighters an opportunity to effectively fight it before it advanced toward the front of the house.

"It was a good save," Dougherty said.

Also saved were two little dogs. The first was found quickly by firefighters and returned to Milroy safely, but the second one couldn't be located.

About 30 minutes into the fire fight, the small dog came charging out the back door, running over smoldering, hot timber, and was scooped up by a neighbor and given to a Pavilion firefighter, who carried the little guy to Mrs. Milroy, sitting with a neighbor across the street.

At least two firefighters were taken to UMMC for medical treatment, including one with heat exhaustion.

Interior firefighters told us it was pretty darn hot in the house on a hot night and several firefighters looked pretty beat when they first came out of the structure.

Also assisting at the scene were Le Roy Ambulance, City of Batavia's Fast Team, the Pavilion Auxiliary and the Sheriff's Office.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and Dougherty said it was too early to even take a guess at it.

UPDATE 9 a.m.: The cause of the fire has been determined to be "misuse of electrical equipment," according to a Sheriff's Office press release. Also, we didn't have a complete list of responding fire companies earlier. Also responding to the scene, Stafford and Perry. Bergen filled in at Le Roy's hall.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

A working structure fire is reported on Hutchinson Street in Pavilion. Stafford, Bethany and Le Roy fire departments, along with York, are responding with Pavilion. Bergen is asked to fill in at the Le Roy Fire Hall. They are on the second floor at this point checking for extentions.

UPDATE 12:15 a.m.: The fire is pretty well knocked down. The exact address is 6918 Hutchinson St. Two Rochester & Southern trains scheduled to run by soon are asked to slow it down. National Grid is called to the scene along with Salvation Army, the latter to provide refreshments.

UPDATE 12:19 a.m.: Interior crew reports no sign of fire extension on second floor, "must be in the attic." They are opening up the roof to vent the structure. "We can find no way into the attic from the second floor." Command reminds tankers not to park on the railroad.

UPDATE 12:22 a.m.: The city's Fast Team is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 12:24 a.m.: No response from Salvation Army, calling the Pavilion Auxiliary instead. "We're exiting the building. There's nothing we can do up here," says the fire chief regarding the interior crew.

UPDATE 12:28 a.m.: They cut a hole in the ceiling and reported seeing nothing, but a thermal camera shows fire and heat "in the eaves in the eastside." Subsequenty, fire "self-venting through the roof." Interior crews are exiting the house. "There's nothing we can do up here." Initially, flames were seen shooting out the back of the three-story house.

UPDATE 12:33 a.m.: A Mercy rig was called in by fire command for a firefighter, unknown injuries, now a second rig is called for a second patient, told to go Route 19 to Route 63, past the Pavilion Bank.

UPDATE 12:36 a.m.: All crew members are accounted for and out of the structure. They are trying to cool the attic in order to get a crew back up in there.

UPDATE 12:39 a.m.: The American Red Cross will likely be needed to respond, says the chief. Howard, at the scene, reports a small terrier-type of dog came running out of the house and was scooped up by a firefighter and handed over to its owner.

UPDATE 12:46 a.m.: The train company is contacted and asked to stop the trains scheduled to pass through on Hutchinson Street.

UPDATE 1:03 a.m.: The power company is there now and has shut off power to the house.

UPDATE 3:44 a.m.: Pavilion leaving the scene, all units back in service.

David E. Muffley, 63, of Druck Valley Road, York, Pa., is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Muffley was reportedly involved in an accident at 6:20 p.m., Thursday, at the intersection of Route 63 and Route 20. Muffley was allegedly operating a loaded tractor-trailer while intoxicated and attempted to turn right onto Route 63 and struck a vehicle stopped on Route 63. The accident was investigated by Deputy Cory Mower.

Clifford Leo Regimbal, 34, of Granite Street, Webster, Mass., is charged with criminal possession of stolen property with a value of more than $3,000. Regimbal was arrested in Webster, Ma., on unrelated charges and held as an alleged fugitive from justice on the Genesee County charge. He was returned to New York and jailed on $20,000 bail. Regimbal also has warrants issued by the courts in Corfu, Alexander and Rochester.

Francis E. Ikokide, 42, of 3330 Weston Road, Apt. 316, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Ikokide was stopped at 6:22 a.m. on Oak Street by Officer Felicia DeGroot for alleged defective brake light. Ikokide was allegedly found to have a suspended license. Ikokide posted $100 police bail and was released.

Nicholas Christian Doell, 22, of Lippold Road, Darien, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and possession of a controlled substance not in original container. Doell was allegedly found by his probation officer in possession of controlled substances concealed in a cigarette pack at 5 p.m., Friday. He was jailed on $500 bail. (Doell was allegedly involved in a high-speed chase with deputies and tasered Saturday night.)

Amanda Rose McDonald, 31, of Cherry Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. McDonald is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

Terry Lynne Butler, 54, of Genesee Street, Le Roy, is charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, recless driving, moving from lane unsafely and improper signal. Butler was allegedly observed driving at 11:54 p.m., Friday, on Lewiston Road when her vehicle nearly collided with oncoming traffic. She was arrested by Deputy John Weis.

Dylan Jacob Keem, 19, of Folsomdale Road, Cowlesville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Keem was allegedly found in possession of marijuana concealed in a vehicle during an investigation on Route 77, Darien, by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Also arrested was Benjamin Edward Burek, 19, of Burrough Road, Cowlesville. Burek was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and consumption of alcohol under 21 years of age.

Terry Robert Konfederath, 51, of Meadowbrook Terrace, Corfu, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .01 or greater, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely. Konfederath was stopped at 12:47 a.m., Saturday, on Genesee Street, Pembroke, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Daniel Lynn Diguardi, 31, of Upper Holley Road, Holley, is charged with falsifying business records, 2nd. Diguardi is accused of claiming ownership of property owned by Rent-a-Center that he allegedly pawned at Pawn King. Diguardi turned himself in on an arrest warrant to Deputy John Baiocco.

Benjamin Gove Evans, 24, of Maple Street, Batavia, was taken into custody on arrest warrants for alleged failure to pay fine on an attempted petit larceny charge. Evans appeared before Justice Tom Williams and promised to return the next day and make a fine payment and to make his payments every week until paid off.

Mary Jean Daniel, 26, of Morrow Road, Pavilion, is charged with petit larceny. Daniel allegedly stole an unassembled TV stand from Kmart.

Derrick R. Kio, 22, of Wyoming, is charged with criminal mischief (preventing emergency call), harassment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. Kio was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 10:24 a.m., Saturday, in the Town of Pavilion. No further details were released.

A car and tractor-trailer accident is reported at routes 63 and 20, Texaco Town. The driver of the semi reportedly suffered "seizure-like activity" but is now "up and walking." The accident is blocking traffic. Pavilion Fire Department is responding for traffic control, along with Mercy medics. Law enforcement is on scene. The driver of the car is OK.

UPDATE 6:53 p.m.: The semi is a "heavy wrecker" partially in the ditch. It can probably be driven away once it's pulled out of the ditch, but the current driver will not likely be able to do that. The turning lane is blocked and traffic is backing up.

UPDATE 7:22 p.m.: Pavilion assignment is back in service.

UPDATE 8:27 p.m.: The roads are reopened.

A one-vehicle rollover accident with injuries is reported at 5491 Broadway Road. Bethany Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding. The driver has "head and neck pain." The pickup truck's fuel spilled. One lane of traffic is blocked. The accident occurred "on the east side of the hill," near a "dip in the road where the viaduct is." Pavilion Fire Police are also called. A responder says it may be possible to have the other lane remain open.

UPDATE 8:16 a.m.: The vehicle involved is a four-wheel drive Ford F-250 with ag plates.

UPDATE 8:25 a.m.: They are alternating the traffic flow. A flatbed tow is called.

UPDATE 8:52 a.m.: Bethany assignment back in service.

A car accident is reported at Route 20 and Linwood Road. An 81-year-old female is said to have a minor head injury and arm pain. State Police are on scene and Mercy medics and Pavilion Fire Department are responding.

Pavilion Fire Department is being requested to Route 63 to shutdown all southeast traffic into Livingston County due to a serious injury accident on Route 63 near the York Central School.

Top photo taken on Perry Road, Pavilion, while I was out at the accident earlier. Bottom photo on Creek Road, Bethany.

A two-car accident with injuries is reported at Route 20 and Perry Road, Pavilion. Mercy medics and Pavilion Fire Department are responding. Mercy Flight #5 out of Batavia is available, based on the dispatcher's inquiry.

The accident is blocking traffic. Fire police are requested at Route 20 "at the top of the hill" and at Asbury Road to slow traffic.

UPDATE 7:09 p.m.: A second and third ambulance are requested. Fire police are also called to control traffic at Route 20 and South Street.

UPDATE 7:12 p.m.: Mercy Flight will not be required.

UPDATE 7:22 p.m.: No word on how many people are involved, but four of them will be sign-offs.

UPDATE 8:01 p.m.: The Pavilion assignment is back in service and the road is reopened. One person was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital.

UPDATE 8:14 p.m.: Three other patients were transported to Rochester General Hospital.

After the Genesee County Economic Development Center meeting yesterday evening, I had two choices: Go home and write some stories that I gathered information on during the day, or take advantage of a great spring day and drive around and take some pictures.

I chose pictures taking. I would have time, I reasoned, to write later in the evening.

Near the end of my loop through Le Roy, Pavilion, Bethany and Batavia, I stopped by a friend's house for a chat. Near the end of my visit, Billie called and told me about the teen in the gorge at Indian Falls.

So rather, than writing my stories last night and posting these pictures last night, I spent four hours on the Indian Falls story. 

Here's the photos from yesterday evening and those stories I need to write are coming.

The barn above is on Main Road in Stafford. Two more shots of it below.

Route 19, Town of Le Roy.

Cook Road and Route 20, Pavilion.

Transit Road and Ellicott Street Road, Bethany.

The Town of Pavilion has begun enforcement action against property owners that have for years been storing apparently broken down vehicles on their parcels.

At the beginning of the year the town entered into a shared services agreement with the Town of Batavia and Dan Lang is now code enforcement officer in Pavilion.

He said the first order of business was to go after the most obvious alleged code violations, and the properties at 11076 Lake Road and 11256 Perry Road certainly met that criteria.

In letters to Jacob Weber and Steven Weber, the town asserts they have 47 and 12 broken down vehicles on their properties, respectively.

The Webers appeared in town court Monday and asked for more time to work with an attorney on resolving the issue. They are scheduled back in court June 4.

The state's property maintenance code states:

Except as otherwise provided for in statute or other regulations, two or more inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicles shall not be parked, kept or stored on any premises, and no vehicle shall at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled. Painting of vehicles is prohibited unless conducted inside an approved spray booth.

The town is demanding that the inoperative vehicles be removed from the property. The Webers, if the issue isn't resolved and they are convicted, could be fined $350 or spend six months in jail for each code violation.

Lang said he won't be looking for every little code violation in Pavilion, but property owners with obvious code violations will be contacted and he will also respond to complaints from residents.

The photo of the Perry Road location was taken in October.

A construction accident at 6612 Tufts Road, Pavilion, has caused an electrical wire to come down, which has sparked a small grass fire.

Pavilion fire is responding.

National Grid is also in route.

A dirt bike reportedly hit a tree at a residence on Creek Road, Pavilion, and the rider suffered a head injury.

The injury is not described as serious. He has bump on the head and lost consciousness. A chief on scene tells dispatch that Mercy Flight will not be needed, that the patient can be transported by ground ambulance.

A car rear-ended a tractor-trailer at the intersection of routes 63 and 20 -- Texaco Town. There are minor injuries and no entrapment. But the car, with Connecticut plates, is pinned underneath the semi, according to a Sheriff's deputy on scene. Pavilion Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: The Pavilion assignment is back in service.

A grass fire is reported at 10119 Pavilion Center Road. Pavilion Fire Department is responding non-emergency. The location is between Stubb and Junction roads. There is a small structure nearby, but the fire chief on scene says it's not in danger at this time.

UPDATE 3:38 p.m.: The fire is out. Pavilion is back in service.

I've driven past this old, worn-down barn and farmhouse on Route 63 in Pavilion dozens and dozens of times and thought -- some day, I need to take a picture. On the way to the feed bunk fire today, I finally figured out how -- I think -- to make the shot. So after the fire, I went back and made this picture.

Mention "bunk fire" to a volunteer firefighter, and you might get an eye roll.

Nearly every firefighter we spoke to at the scene of the fire on the Schumacher Farm in Pavilion today said when they heard "bunk fire" from the fire dispatcher, they knew there were in for a lot of work.

"They tend to be a drawn out affair," said Pavilion Chief Paul Dougherty. "The material is highly compacted. In fact, when they put it in the silo they go to great measures to compact it to keep the oxygen out. It's a smoldering type of fire that you've got to break apart until you've got it extinguished."

The fire was reported at 2:15 p.m. and Pavilion Fire was on scene until about 6 p.m.

It took thousands of gallons of water to deal with the fire and with no public water in the area, tankers were called in from Batavia, Le Roy, Alexander, Bergen, Stafford, Caledonia, and Bethany, as well as Le Roy's ladder truck.

The fire appears to have spread from a burn pile on the southwest corner of the feed bunk (a bunker used to store cattle feed) and up the feed pile and into bales of hay stored at the top of the bunker.

Crews had to battle the fire in the bunker and clear a safe path to the back in Le Roy's ladder truck in order to put out the hay fire.

Because of winds, hot spots spread into the adjacent fields.

"The wind this particular day is certainly not in our favor," Dougherty said. "It is feeding the smoldering material and also carrying embers out into the surrounding fields, which are at this point in the year wet and difficult to get into to put out any burning materials."

The Schumacher Farm straddles the Genesee County-Wyoming County line and the feed bunk is in Genesee County, while the main structures of the farm are in Wyoming County. No structures were threatened by the fire, being down wind from the feed bunk.

Tankers shuttled water into the fire, but the time between truck fulls of water was such that the ladder truck had to periodically stop shooting water on the burning material.

For this type of fire, the flow of water, however, wasn't critical. At one point, in fact, firefighters took a break for refreshments and rest since the fire was well contained and not going anywhere.

"The one difference between this type of fire and structure or house fire is that with a structure or house, getting water is a bigger problem," Dougherty said. "Here we've got time to get water set up. The fire is not really going anywhere. We're not going to get behind it."

If the fire was started by a controlled burn, there are exemptions for agriculture during the no-burn season. Also, Dougherty noted, the fire could have been set days ago and only became a problem after the wind kicked up today.

Also assisting at the scene were Mercy EMS (on standby) and the Salvation Army.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

A fire is reported at 6471 Hudson Road in the Town of Pavilion. No structures are involved -- it's a livestock feed bunk. Pavilion, Le Roy and Stafford fire departments are responding. "We've got heavy, heavy black smoke in the air."

UPDATE 2:23 p.m.: Tankers from York and Bethany are also called to the scene. A wind advisory for parts of Western New York, including Genesee County, is in effect until 6 p.m. Winds are expected to average 25 to 35 mph, with gusts of up to 50 mph. which, of course, makes fires more difficult to fight.

UPDATE 2:29 p.m.: Fire police will be deployed at Route 19 to stop westbound traffic onto Hudson Road so tankers can draw water from a pond near that juncture. Perry Center's tankers, if available, are summoned.

UPDATE 2:33 p.m.: Mutual aid from Alexander, Town of Batavia and Bergen are called in.

UPDATE 2:36 p.m.: Caledonia is called to the scene and also to stand by in Pavilion's quarters.

UPDATE 2:37 p.m.: Brockport and Mumford are enlisted.

UPDATE 2:38 p.m.: Pavilion Fire command says "The fire's contained, but we've got to get up here and put these hay bales out. I'm not sure the ladder's going to reach that far." Wyoming #2 is called, Perry Center is cancelled.

UPDATE 2:42 p.m.: They want to get a backhoe in there to bust up the hay bales. "They're going pretty good." There's a big heap of corn cobs to deal with, too.

UPDATE 2:51 p.m.: Mercy medics are responding in case they are needed.

UPDATE 2:57 p.m.: The Pavilion Auxiliary and/or Salvation Army is going to bring refreshments. Attica Rescue is called to fill air bottles.

UPDATE 3:25 p.m.: The fire is pretty much knocked down. No hands lines are in use at this point. Alexander is released from the scene and others will be soon.

Pavilion fire is on scene of a field fire in the area of 7364 Dillon Road, Pavilion.

It was apparently a controlled burn that got out of control and was reported to be about 50 yards from a structure.

A chief reports that it hasn't gotten into the nearby woods.

Another chief said that once crews are on scene with brooms, it should be easy to knock down.

UPDATE 10:46 a.m.: A chief reports fire is definitely out and he's walking the perimeter of the whole area to ensure it's out.

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