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House fire reported at Molasses Hill Road and Chaddock Road

By Billie Owens

A fire is reported at an unoccupied house (People live there, but they aren't home.) at 1137 Molasses Hill Road at the corner of Chaddock Road. Flames are showing. It has gone to a second alarm. Alexander Fire Department is responding, along with mutual aid from the Town of Batavia, Town of Batavia's FAST Team, Bethany, Darien and Pavilion. Darien is also asked to fill in at Alexander's fire hall.

UPDATE 6:23 p.m.: A first responder on scene reports the location is probably in Bethany's fire district.

UPDATE 6:26 p.m.: Attica is also called to respond. A propane tank is exposed to the fire.

UPDATE 6:37 p.m.: Stafford is asked to fill in at Bethany's fire hall. Command says the flames have gone through the second floor of the structure.

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: All tankers responding are told to come to the scene via Silver Road. That's Silver Road to Chaddock.

UPDATE 7:33 p.m.: Fire is out. Overhauling. Wyoming Correctional Facility requested to provide inmates for assistance. Mercy medics on scene in case needed.

UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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UPDATE: Two additional photos submitted by Glenn Adams.

Working trailer fire reported on Simonds Road, Darien

By Billie Owens

A fully involved trailer fire that is next to a barn is reported at 9590 Simonds Road, Darien. That's the Miller farm. A person was injured jumping out of a window because of the fire. Darien Fire Department is responding, along with mutual aid from Corfu and Alexander. Mercy medic #4 is called to the scene.

UPDATE 12:15 p.m.: A first responder on scene reports half the trailer is burned. Everyone is out of the structure, which is adjacent to a large barn. The patient has lacerations to his right hand and arm and is inside the residence at the farm.

UPDATE 12:19 p.m.: A crew from East Pembroke is requested to fill in at Corfu's fire hall.

UPDATE 1:09 p.m.: An employee at the dairy farm, Jamie Mitman, said an employee was sleeping inside the trailer and told her that "he woke up, smelled smoke, panicked and jumped out the window. ... Cut up his hand pretty good -- (to the extent) where he'd need stitches." Jeff Lucker, Darien's first assistant chief, said when he arrived the mobile home was 50-percent involved with flames showing in half the structure. The man who jumped out the window was not seriously injured, Lucker said, and he was transported by private vehicle to a hospital for treatment of cuts and abrasions to his arms, legs and hands. Alden Fire Department filled in at Darien's hall. Fighting this type of fire typically requires a low volume of water and is straightforward, which was the case here, Lucker said, adding that "It's probably fortunate that today is New Year's Eve so that a lot of people are at home and not at work and so we got a quick response."

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: Fire is out. All units are clearing the scene.

UPDATE 3:27 p.m.: A Darien crew is asked to assemble to deal with a small rekindle of the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

House fire with flames and smoke showing on Lockport Road, Elba

By Billie Owens

A house fire with smoke and flames showing is reported at 4478 Lockport Road in Elba. There is also a propane tank out front. The location is between North Byron and Quaker Hill roads. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding, along with mutual aid from Oakfield, Stafford, Bergen, Byron and South Byron.

UPDATE 9:47 a.m.: Lockport Road is being shut down at Quaker Hill Road and at Oak Orchard Road.

UPDATE 9:52 a.m.: Town of Batavia is requested to fill in at Elba's fire hall.

UPDATE 9:57 a.m.: National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE 10:14 a.m.: Fire is out. The chief says looks like the fire may have started in the living room. Beginning investigation. Mercy medics are back in service.

UPDATE 10:16 a.m.: Some mutual aid responders being put back in service.

House fire reported on Thomas Avenue in the city

By Billie Owens

A house fire is reported at 5 Thomas Ave. 

City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 1:49 a.m.: No smoke or flames showing, although there was a fire at this apartment building, which has been evacuated. Firefighters are dismantling a portion of the front porch looking for any extention.

UPDATE 2:05 a.m.: There were flames showing when firefighters arrived on scene. Ten residents were evacuated by firefighters, including an infant who was carried from an apartment by a firefighter. Some of the residents were taken in by neighbors, others were still outside watching. The cause is under investigation. It will be up to a city building inspector to determine whether the residents can return to their apartments tonight.

Car fire reported at Batavia Downs

By Howard B. Owens

A vehicle fire is reported in the rear lot of Batavia Downs.

Flames are showing.

Town of Batavia Fire dispatched.

Smoke in the building at Yellow Goose in Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

The Yellow Goose convenience store, 1110 W. Main St., Le Roy, is reportedly charged with smoke.

It's a possible electrical fire.

A Le Roy fire chief is on scene. 

Le Roy fire is responding with mutual aid from Bergen.

Possible house fire reported on Wilkinson Road, East Pembroke

By Billie Owens

A possible structure fire is reported at 8979 Wilkinson Road, East Pembroke. The house is said to be filled with smoke although no flames are visible. East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding, along with an engine from Town of Batavia, as mutual aid.

UPDATE 3:28 p.m.: All available manpower from East Pembroke Fire Department is called to respond to the confirmed, working structure fire. Also called to the scene are Darien, Oakfield and Alexander fire departments. Pembroke is asked to fill in at East Pembroke's fire hall.

UPDATE 3:39 p.m.: Elba Fire Department is asked to fill in at Town of Batavia Fire Station #1.

UPDATE 3:56 p.m.: Fire is out.

Arson, murder suspect in Le Roy reportedly taunted police before surrendering

By Howard B. Owens
Based on information obtained from sources, we believe the suspect is in this photo, standing near the front of the Sheriff's patrol vehicle with the lights on. The photo was taken at 7:09 a.m. with a 300mm lens and has been enlarged substantially for publication. We were told the suspect wandered around the area of the roadway and his home while officers tried to talk him into surrendering. Shortly after this photo was taken, SWAT teams arrived. The suspect surrendered at about 8:10 a.m., we are told.

 

A Selden Road resident who is suspected of murdering a neighbor early this morning in Le Roy and setting his own home ablaze was taunting the police once they arrived on scene, according to a witness.

"Did you see what I did to my house?" the witness said the man told police. "Just shoot me."

Sheriff's deputies and Village of Le Roy police, along with Mercy EMS, were dispatched to 7421 Selden Road just after 4 a.m. after dispatchers received a report of a person being shot in the face. About 10 minutes later, Le Roy fire along with the Bergen Fire Department were dispatched to 7324 Selden Road for a structure fire with flames showing. Shortly thereafter, Stafford and Pavillion fire departments were called to provide mutual aid.

At first, there was no indication the two incidents were related, but when the first assistant chief for Le Roy fire, accompanied by the department's safety officer and a chief from a mutual aid company arrived on scene, along with a patrol from Le Roy, the suspect reportedly turned his shotgun on the responders and opened fire.

None of the responders were hit and they made a quick exit from the area, with the chief informing dispatchers they had been fired on and to hold back all responding units.

The chief was pretty shaken and returned to the fire hall a short time later, said 2nd Assistant Chief Tom Wood.

"We actually never got told there were any shots fired or the second incident was happening, so we responded as a normal incident," Wood said.

It's unclear if the suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was firing indiscriminately or deliberately targeting either firefighters or police.

Wood said it appeared to the firefighters the gun was pointed at them.

"When they got on scene they saw the individual and he pointed the gun in their direction, or the direction of the police, and, I believe, fired two or three rounds at them," Wood said. "Nobody was hit, but it was definitely scary."

It was a tense time for Jon Marcello and his family, who moved from the village to Selden Road in July. He said he spoke to his neighbor, the suspect, for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The suspect, he said, placed a no trespassing sign in his front yard because he was going through a divorce and he didn't know who his ex-wife might had given keys to.

"He was concerned about other people coming into the house and on the property," Marcello said.

When Marcello saw a fire burning outside this neighbor's house, he went outside to investigate. He then heard two gunshots. A police officer told him to get back in his house. He said he and his wife and his two small children, who are too young to have comprehended what was going on, sheltered upstairs.

"It's certainly concerning when you see him walking down the street and on our property with a shotgun, SWAT teams all around telling him to put the gun down and he wasn't complying," Marcello said. "He was actually taunting them telling them to shoot him. I don't know if it was a suicide mission, or what."

The suspect surrendered about 8:10 a.m.

The name of the victim has not yet been officially released.

No other injuries have been reported in connection with the incident.

The incident was troubling for the volunteers who responded to the scene, Wood said. Even though nobody has forgotten what happened in Webster, where firefighters were shot and killed responding to a fire, on Christmas Eve a couple of years ago, it's still not something you expect to happen here. Wood said he doesn't know how you prepare or train for such unexpected violence.

"It's scary," Wood said. "We don't know how to deal with stuff like this. We're a small rural department and all volunteer."

The Sheriff's Office has scheduled a press conference at 2 p.m. about the incident.

Previously: Person reportedly shot at residence in Town of Le Roy

The residence of the shooting victim.

Tom Wood speaking with members of the media.

Report of heavy smoke coming from apartment in Le Roy

By Howard B. Owens

There is a report of heavy smoking showing from an apartment at 103 W. Main St., Building 1, Apt. #5, Le Roy, the Royal Apartments.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance along with Bergen, Pavilion and Town of Batavia's Fast Team are dispatched.

UPDATE 3:24 p.m.: Second alarm responders can stage in quarters.

Tractor-trailer fire reported in Bergen

By Howard B. Owens

A tractor-trailer is on fire on Route 33 near Route 19 in Bergen.

Bergen fire is responding.

UPDATE 12:31 p.m.: The fire is contained to a roll-off dumpster, which has been removed from the vehicle. The location is in front of the Bergen C-Store.

House fire reported on Main Road, Stafford

By Billie Owens

Flames are reportedly coming from inside a house at 6524 Main Road, Stafford. The location is east of Roanoke Road. Stafford Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Le Roy and Pavilion.

UPDATE 6:36 p.m.: Command reports the fire is out. The house has been cleared. Now working to ventilate the structure.

School bus trailing black smoke said to be eastbound on Route 33

By Billie Owens

A school bus trailing thick black smoke is reported headed eastbound on Route 33 in the area of West Bergen Road. Bergen Fire Department is asked to respond.

UPDATE 3:27 p.m.: The bus has been located and has a "mechanical issue." The Bergen assignment is back in service.

Possible grass fire reported on Batavia-Oakfield TL Road

By Billie Owens

A possible grass fire is reported in the area of 3583 Batavia Oakfield Town Line Road, approximately a half mile from Lewiston Road (Route 63). Oakfield Fire Department is responding. Smoke is showing.

Grass fire reported on Mill Pond Road, Byron

By Billie Owens

A grass fire also involving a tractor is reported at 6448 Mill Pond Road, Byron. The location is by Mud City Road. Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding.

Possible fire reported at U.S. Chrome on Swan Street in the city

By Billie Owens

A possible commercial building fire is reported at U.S. Chrome Corp., 31 Swan St., Batavia. City firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 3:06 p.m.: A responder on scene reports heavy smoke and says the property will be ventilated.

UPDATE 3:30 p.m.: The plant manager told Howard that an electric pot used to melt wax malfunctioned. Two employees, who are also volunteer firefighters, arrived for work and were going to set up for the night shift when they noticed smoke in the building and a strong odor. To be cautious, they shut the doors and called the fire department. The plant manager praised the city's quick response and the swiftness with which they pinpointed the problem, removed the malfunctioning unit, and vented the facility.

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