fire

A tree fire has been reported in the Byron Mobiehome Park, 6162 Swamp Road, Byron, Lot #42. 

Byron and South Byron fire dispatched. 

Chief Don Newton said the brothers and sisters of the East Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department will take care of one of their own who lost her home to a fast-moving, wind-driven fire today. 

It was a tough thing to watch the home of a volunteer burn in conditions that made saving even a portion of the structure impossible. The house, at 2463 Brown Road, Corfu, sits in the middle of an agricultural area, so the high winds were complicated by a lack of a nearby fire hydrant. Water tankers and porta-ponds were needed to supply the pumpers and a consistent water flow was hard to maintain.

Newton and Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator, both said the fire was well advanced, the flames driven by the winds, by the time the first firefighters arrived.

"The fire would not have been advanced as it was if it was not as windy as it was today," Yaeger said. "We probably could have made an interior attack, but with this, right off the bat, the incident commander, the fire chief of East Pembroke, got on location and called an exterior attack only just because of the advancement of the fire."

The house, built in 1890, was owned by Lori Santini. She was at work and her children were in school when the fire broke out.

The fire appears to have started in an addition on the eastern side of the house at the location of a heat stove.

"Firefighters were able to retrieve a family pet, a dog, so the dog is out safely," Yaeger said.

However, the family cats were not located and are not believed to have survived, Newton said. The family also had pet birds and a pet newt. The fire did not spread to the nearby chicken coop and the chickens are apparently fine.

"It's always difficult to deal with that (a fire at the home of a volunteer firefighter), but thankfully everybody is OK, she's OK, the family is OK, and no injuries reported here of firefighters so far. Everybody is safe," Yaeger said.

The house and all of its contents were a complete loss. 

"We talked about Red Cross, but the chiefs said they will take care of her, so I'm sure she's in good hands," Yaeger said.

Newton said his department will likely head a communitywide effort to assist Santini and her children. The Batavian will share more information about assistance efforts when it becomes available.

A house fire is reported at 2463 Brown Road. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Corfu, Pembroke, Alexander, Darien, and the City's Fast Team. Town of Batavia is requested to fill in at East Pembroke. The location is between Ridge and Halstead roads.

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: East Pembroke -- all available manpower to the scene.

UPDATE 2:28 p.m.: East Pembroke command calls Town of Batavia to a dry hydrant on Wilkinson Road. Oakfield is asked to fill in at East Pembroke's hall.

UPDATE 2:32: The city's first platoon is called to headquarters.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Command says an occupant is out of the house.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: Tankers from Bethany, Alabama and Oakfield are requested to the scene. National Grid was advised that wires are down. The high winds are making this fire difficult to fight.

UPDATE 3:07 p.m.: A crew from Elba is requested to stand by in its quarters in case needed for the Oakfield Fire District.

UPDATE 3:23 p.m.: Without specifying why they are needed, Mercy medics are called to the scene.

A house fire is reported at the intersection of Route 98 and Batavia Elba Town Line Road. Elba Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from the Town of Batavia and South Byron.

UPDATE 11:22 a.m.: National Grid is called to the scene. Stafford, Oakfield, Bergen, City of Batavia's Fast Team, and Byron are now called to the scene.

UPDATE 11:24 a.m.: Elba Fire Police are requested to shut down Route 98 at Edgerton Road.

UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: The city's first platoon is called to stand by in headquarters.

UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: Albion Fire Department is dispatched to the scene.

UPDATE 11:27 a.m.: Route 98 is being shut down at Saile Drive.

UPDATE 11:36 a.m.: State Street Road at Town Line Road is being shut down.

A hay baler is on fire at 10162 Perry Road, Pavilion. It's next to a barn and attached to a tractor with diesel fuel in it.

Pavilion fire is dispatched.

City firefighters are responding to a complaint about "a recreational fire" behind the residence at 7 Ross St. Law enforcement is also dispatched to the scene.

A caller is reports an open burn is causing a nuisance at 251 Bank St. City firefighters are responding. The location is between Hart and Douglas streets.

An apartment house fire in Corfu Village was reported a few minutes ago and five fire departments were called to the scene. The location is 9 E. Main St., between Corfu Plaza and West Main Street. A minute later, a dispatcher said the fire was out and all responders could go back in service, with the exception of Corfu.

The caller said flames and smoke were visible.

The other responders toned out for service were the city's Fast Team, Darien, Pembroke, East Pembroke and Mercy medics.

Batavia PD is looking for the public's assistance in identifying these two individuals in connection with an arson investigation. The individuals appeared on a video surveillance footage in proximity to a dumpster fire reported last night at a location on West Main Street (the exact location was not released). The fire was reported shortly before 9:30 p.m.

Anybody with any information that might assist in the investigation are asked to call Det. Thad Mart at (585) 345-6372.

City fire is on scene at the YMCA on East Main Street in Batavia after a report of the smell of smoke in the building. The facility has been evacuated. Fire command reports the smell of something electrical burning. Investigating.

A caller reports insulation is on fire under a house at 7014 Swamp Road. Bryon and South Byron fire departments are responding, along with mutual aid from Bergen, Elba and the Town of Batavia's Fast Team. A second engine from Bergen is requested to fill in at Byron's fire hall. The location is between Hessenthaler and Pococks roads.

UPDATE 9:12 p.m.: Byron command is holding the assignment to Byron, Sotuh Byron and Pavilion. Elba and Town of Batavia are put back in serivce. They are calling for a thermal camera.

Stafford Fire Department is called "to assist law enforcement with a grass fire" at 8620 Sanders Road.

The location is Scofield Transfer & Recycling.

Le Roy Fire Department went to a report of a possible grass fire in some woods in the area of Linwood and Harris roads. They inquired if it was a controlled burn. Dispatch said there was no record of a controlled burn called in for that location. The property owner became irate and insisted that a controlled burn was called in at about 8 a.m. today.

The landowner insists no one should be on the property; he wants firefighters to leave. A deputy is called to the scene and the Department of Environmental Conservation is contacted.

UPDATE 8:04 p.m.: The chief on scene says a resolution has been reached with the farmer. Responses from a Sheriff's deputy and the DEC are cancelled.

UPDATE 8:10 p.m.: The Le Roy assignment is back in service.

City fire is on scene of a smoke-in-the-residence call at 634 E. Main St., Batavia.

A Mercy ambulance is requested to the scene to evaluate a person with possible smoke inhalation.

UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: A second ambulance is on scene. Engine 15 is going back in service.

Smoke is reportedly coming from a barn at 4803 Barrville Road. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

A possible electrical fire is reported inside a house at 6890 Ellicott Street Road. The caller told a dispatcher "her dryer blew up." Pavilion Fire Department is reponding along with mutual aid from Le Roy. The location is between River Road and Woodrow Drive.

UPDATE 8:30 p.m.: Pavilion command reports a code enforcement officer is on scene and that the occupants are going to remain on the premises until help arrives from the American Red Cross.

City firefighters are called to Monclair and Olyn avenues to investigate a report of smoke in the area.

A possible house fire is reported at 1 Jerome Place in the city. A caller at Tully's restaurant reports seeing smoke coming from the structure. City fire is responding. The location is between Prune and East Main streets.

UPDATE 6:23 p.m.: Somebody was grilling food in the yard. The assignment is back in service.

Smoking is reportedly coming from the roof of a residence at 27 W. Main St., Le Roy, between Craigie and Clay streets. Le Roy Fire Department is responding along with a ladder truck from Bergen.

UPDATE 4:53 p.m.: A crew from Pavilion is requested to stage in its hall.

UPDATE 5:24 p.m.: Fire Police are requested to shut down traffic at westbound Route 5 at Route 19.

A brush fire is reported in Elba at 7560 Pekin Road. Elba firefighters are responding.

UPDATE 6:34 p.m.: Alabama, as mutual aid, is working the brush fire in Elba's fire district and Oakfield is requested to assemble a crew in the Oakfield hall.

UPDATE 6: 44 p.m.: A crew from Byron is requested to fill in at Elba's fire hall.

UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: Elba command reports fire is under control.