fire

A feed fire in a cooler is reported at the Cargill plant on Wortendyke Road, Batavia. East Pembroke and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics. Cargill Animal Nutrition is located at 8849 Wortendyke Road.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.: Also called to respond are the City's Fast Team, Oakfield, Alexander, Darien and Pembroke fire departments.

UPDATE 1:33 p.m.: The fire is out; the assignment is back in service.

Seventeen fire companies from three counties -- Genesee, Orleans, and Monroe -- battled a house fire at 7735 Creamery Road, Bergen, that may have been sparked by a lightning strike.

Neighbors described one and possibly two wall-rattling lightning strikes and thunder claps in the neighborhood this morning followed by a brief power outage.

The call for smoke in the residence came in at 7:58 a.m. and the next call from a neighbor who reported flames.

Bergen Fire Chief Garrett Dean said the fact that flames were reported and that on a weekday morning, fewer volunteer firefighters are available, he immediately called for a second alarm.

The Bergen ladder truck was on scene first and quickly knocked down the blaze inside the rooms on the south side of the house, though the rooms appeared to be largely destroyed and Dean said the stairwell was heavily burned and firefighters couldn't use it to access the second floor. 

The difficulty firefighters faced was in the roof. The original house was built in 1850 (it looks like there were one, and possibly two additions), and the older portion is constructed in a way that makes it easier for smoke, heat, and fire to pass to different sections. The roof has been reroofed a couple of times, leading to an extra layer of plywood. Firefighters had a hard time getting to the fire in the roof and ventilating the roof.

The residents were not home when the fire was reported. Dean said there was no indication of pets in the house. No firefighters were injured during the fighting of the fire.

The cause has not been confirmed and we don't have an estimate of damage at this time.

Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the south end of the house, with the other two-thirds suffering only smoke and heat damage.

A house fire is reported at 7735 Creamery Road, Bergen.

Flames are showing

Bergen fire dispatched.

Second alarm going out.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 8:05 a.m.: The City's Fast Team is called to the scene along with mutual aid from Elba, Byron, Le Roy, South Byron and Stafford fire departments. The location is between Cross and North Lake roads.

UPDATE 8:07 a.m.: The second platoon is asked to report to City fire headquarters. A firefighter on scene confirms this is a fully involved structure fire. Two Churchville fire trucks are responding. Mumford is asked to fill in at a fire hall (not clear which one). The second platoon is asked to report to City fire headquarters. A neighbor on Creamery Road says no one is home.

UPDATE 8:15 a.m.: A crew from Le Roy is also asked to fill in at Bergen's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:19 a.m.: Caledonia is asked to stand by in their own quarters. Le Roy is called to the scene emergency mode. Chili's ladder truck out of its Company #2 is asked to fill in at Bergen's Fire Hall.

UPDATE 8:24 a.m.: Route 19 is being shut down at Creamery Road. Caledonia is now called to Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 8:51 a.m.: It's unconfirmed but there's some speculation that this fire was caused by a lightning strike. There are no flames showing at this time but smoke remains heavy. One Mercy ambulance is on scene for rehab and a Byron ambulance has been called in.

UPDATE 10:02 a.m.: Bergen Fire Chief Garrett Dean said the initial call came in to dispatch at 7:58 a.m. and it was reported that smoke was spewing from a vent at the top of the house. A second call reported flames coming from a window. The first crews to arrive on scene quickly knocked down exterior flames and then focused on the interior. Balloon construction, Dean said, along with some remodeling made fighting the blaze challenging. Stairways "were compromised" so firefighters used ladders to fight the fire in the second story. They had a difficult time ventilating the thick roof, which they found had half-inch plywood on top of three-quarter-inch plywood, leaving a thin airspace for smoke to seep in. Dean said most of the fire damage was contained to the south end of the structure; there is smoke and heat damage on the north end of the second floor; the first floor is mostly OK. No pets were known to be on the property and none were found. No one was injured, but due to the humidity, Dean said three ambulances were called in for rehabing firefighters. Power is off, so is gas. Dean said he hasn't talked to investigators and did not know what caused the fire, whether it was lightning or what. Dean said because volunteer fire companies have manpower issues during workdays, many companies were called to the scene early to the working structure fire. A total of 17 companies responded from Genesee, Monroe and Orleans counties. 

City fire is responding to 10 Maple St. in the city after it was reported that some lighter fluid was dumped on some bushes and set on fire.

UPDATE 6:22 p.m.: City fire back in service.

A possible structure fire is reported in the area of 167 Oak St. in the city. Heavy black smoke is reported in the area. City fire is responding. A firefighter in the vicinity reports nothing visible.

UPDATE 8:42 a.m.: Firefighters are at the scene investigating, but on initial search can see no smoke or fire.

UPDATE 8:45 a.m.: All units back in service.

A combine is on fire inside a building at 193 Bloomingdale Road, Alabama. Alabama Fire Department is responding along with another engine from Pembroke; Akron is asked to fill in at the fire hall.

UPDATE 3:26 p.m.: Akron Engine 4 is on scene. "Pretty much the fire is out already," says command.

UPDATE 3:29 p.m.: A subject inside the building has possibly suffered some smoke inhalation. A Mercy medic unit is called to respond in non-emergency mode.

A house at 120 Bank St., Batavia is reportedly charged with smoke with an audible alarm going off.

A neighbor called in the possible structure fire. 

City fire is responding.

UPDATE 10:39 p.m.: Firefighters report the odor of smoke, an audible alarm and are trying to force entry.

UPDATE 10:41 p.m.: Unattended food on the stove. Firefighters are searching the residence.

UPDATE 10:42 p.m.: An ambulance requested to the scene non-emergency to evaluate a person who was found in the residence.

A shed fire is reported at 219 S. Swan St., Batavia.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 10:44 a.m.: Fire is out. 

A large tree limb fell onto a power line, breaking it, and landed on a garage at 45 Woodrow Road in Batavia; no arcing or sparking. City Fire Department is responding and National Grid is notified.

UPDATE 7:35 p.m.: City fire cleared the scene and National Grid was in route.

A microwave caused a two alarm fire on 20 Swan St about 9:30 am.There was the smell of smoke but no visable flames.Two children were sent for observation for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported. All units are back in service. 

An ARC bus is smoking in the area of Central and Pringle avenues and city firefighters are responding.

UPDATE (By Howard): The fire was extinguished and City fire is back in service.

Hay is on fire in the barn at 8627 Vallance Road, Town of Le Roy. Bergen Fire Department is responding. "It's the last farm in the county (on that road)," says a dispatcher. The call came in through a 9-1-1 call transferred here from Monroe County. The property owner was the caller.

UPDATE 2:25 p.m.: Command requests mutual aid from Mumford -- it's tanker to the scene in non-emergency mode. A crew from Caledonia is requested to fill in at Bergen's fire hall.

The odor of smoke in the building is reported at Kohl's Department Store on Veterans Memorial Drive. Lights inside the store are flickering. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

Fire from a stove (possibly in a wall behind it) reportedly started a working structure fire at an apartment complex at 4112 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. It's originating from unit B9. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. A first responder on scene reports smoke showing. The fire has gone to a second alarm. Alexander's Fast Team is called for mutual aid along with Darien, Elba and East Pembroke. Stafford is called to stand by at Batavia's station #2.

UPDATE 9:29 a.m.: This is the Batavia Meadows apartment complex.

UPDATE 9:32 a.m.: National Grid was called in and has a one-minute ETA. Command requests law enforcement to the scene to help evacuate the complex. He says they are having difficulty evacuating it and several apartments are "charged with smoke."

UPDATE 9:37 a.m.: Elba is asked to stand by at Batavia's station #1.

UPDATE 9:39 a.m.: An engine from the city is requested to the scene. Elba is now requested to the scene.

UPDATE 9:42 a.m.: The city's third platoon is called to headquarters on Evans Street.

UPDATE 9:47 a.m. A Town of Batavia code enforcement officer is called to the scene. Firefighters are asked to go in apartments and open doors and checks walls for heat/fire. The fire was first called in as a fire in a wall, then a stove fire, now they are reporting it stems from an electrical problem in a wall.

UPDATE 9:54 a.m.: A woman's small dog is hiding under a bed and refuses to come out, and there are a couple of stubborn cats in other apartments, but command says there's not enough smoke wafting in the air to put them in jeopardy so they are letting them stay put for now. A rep from the American Red Cross is called to the scene.

UPDATE 10:11 a.m.: Byron firefighters were called to stand by in their own quarters.

UPDATE 10:23 a.m.: Firefighters are ventilating the structure. Stafford is returning to service.

Black smoke is reportedly pouring from the back of a house at 5155 E. Main Street Road. A first responder on scene is investigating and says it's a controlled burn, of tree stumps. Town of Batavia Fire Department is called and a firefighter is continuing to the scene to investigate.

A garage fire is reported at 141 Ross St., Batavia.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 11:01 p.m.: City fire on location, smoke showing.

UPDATE 11:02 p.m.: Working fire, second alarm.

UPDATE(S)(By Billie) 11:14 p.m.: Fire is now coming through the roof and the south side of the garage.

UPDATE 11:26 p.m.: The structure is fully involved and flames are shooting at least 20 feet into the air.

UPDATE 11:34 p.m.: The chief on scene reports they're "making some progress" in getting the blaze under control.

UPDATE 11:38 p.m.: The fire appears to be knocked down pretty good; no flames are visible.

UPDATE 11:47 p.m.: Fire under control. Doing overhaul.

UPDATE 12:01 a.m.: City Fire Captain Dan Herberger said shortly before 11 p.m., the call came in for a garage fire on Ross Street. When they arrived a few minutes later, smoke was showing at the 25 by 60-foot structure. "It was a deep-seated fire with a fiberglass boat and several cars inside," Herberger said, adding that the presence of those vehicles amounted to a "tremendous load" for fueling the fire and that the garage was "very difficult to get in," and accessing it was "labor intensive." Firefighters got in through a front garage door; there were no other doors or windows. They had to cut holes in the rear and side of the garage to battle the blaze. The wind wasn't bad, but Herberger said there was "enough to knock smoke in your face and know it was smoke." The breeze also caused some concern about flying embers. The mission was accomplished in short order: "We deployed a line right away, got in right away away and put water on it."

UPDATE 12:50 a.m.: Elba and Town of Batavia Engine 24 back in service.

A brush fire is reported in the area of 19 Ross St., Batavia, near the Richmond Memorial Library.

City fire is responding.

An engine and a tanker from Oakfield Fire Department are called to respond in non-emergency mode to an unlawful controlled burn at a farm located at 3701 Batavia-Oakfield Townline Road, Oakfield.

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

A back porch fire is reported at 1401 Broadway Road, Darien.

Darien fire and Corfu fire along with Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 5:05 p.m.: Fire is out. Checking for extensions.