fire

A chimney fire is reported at 700 Reynolds Road, Darien.

The residence is evacuated.

Darien fire responding.

UPDATE 10:10 p.m.: Fire is out. Darien fire will be back in service shortly.

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The smell of burning plastic is coming from an oven at 10268 Smithley Road and the Darien Fire Department is responding. Smoke is showing but no flames.

UPDATE 6:25 p.m.: The problem is a malfunctioning stove. Darien fire will be leaving shortly.

A possible silo fire is reported at 3869 Drake St. Road in Elba. The location is between Pekin and Weatherwax roads. Elba fire is responding along with mutual aid from Oakfield.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: A tanker from the Town of Batavia is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m. A crew from the Town of Barre in Orleans County is asked to stand by in quarters.

UPDATE 2:16 p.m.: A fire truck from Alabama is called to a draft site on Fisher Road to assist in fighting the silo fire.

A fire in the bathroom is reported at the Wilson Farms Market at the corner of Cedar and Ellicott streets. Upon arrival city fire reported "nothing showing." But once inside, they confirmed a small blaze and said they should be able to put it out with a water can.

UPDATE 1:41 p.m.: City command reports the fire is out. It was started by a bathroom vent fan and firefighters are breaking into the ceiling the make sure the problem is resolved.

UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: A rep from the county Health Department is called to respond.

UPDATE 2:39 p.m.: The city assignment is back in service. A rep from the Health Department is at the store.

A possible house fire is reported at 8757 S. Lake Road, Corfu.

Pembroke and Indian Falls dispatched. One tanker from East Pembroke requested to the scene. Mercy EMS also dispatched.

There is light smoke showing, according to the first chief on scene.

UPDATE 6:02 p.m.: The fire started in the bathroom and has spread into the ceiling. A second alarm is sounded. (And just as we write this, a chief says the fire is out, second alarm can respond non-emergency. City Fast Team canceled.)

UPDATE 6:06 p.m.: Alabama to fill in at Indian Falls. Darien and Corfu requested to the scene non-emergency. South Lake at Route 5 being shut down.

UPDATE 6:43 p.m.: Responders can go back in service.

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A dishwasher fire is reported at 6151 Clinton St. Road, Stafford.

The house is reportedly filling with smoke.

Stafford fire with mutual aid from South Byron are being dispatched.

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.: Chief on scene reports smoke coming from dishwasher, no flames showing.

UPDATE 10:56 a.m. Dishwaster removed. Fire is out.

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A fire is reported in the basement of 8706 Haven Lane, Le Roy.

Le Roy fire and Bergen's ladder truck are dispatched.

UPDATE 4:31 p.m.: Chief on scene reports a house full of smoke, fire may be out, but undetermined at this time.

UPDATE 4:33 p.m.: "Working fire" reported in the basement. Stafford and Pavilion asked to stand by in quarters.

UPDATE 4:37 p.m.: Fire contained to the furnace. Ventilation needed.

UPDATE 4:44 p.m.: Fire knocked down.

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The first part of the old farmhouse at 7694 Batavia Stafford Townline Road was built before the Civil War. Today, all of those years became ashes in a controlled burn conducted by the Town of Batavia Fire Department that capped a morning training session at the structure.

Firefighters showed up at the former Dorman family farmhouse early this morning and conducted several interior firefighting exercises.

Town of Batavia Fire First Assistant Chief Nathan Fix said some of the fires really got going, and all were knocked down by interior firefighters in training.

"We had fireman who got to see real fire in real conditions for the first time," Fix said. "We had at least 10 firefighters here who never experienced real fire, real heat, before."

Volunteers from Batavia as well as Bethany, Byron, Bergen, Corfu, South Byron, Oakfield and Elba all participated in the morning exercises.

Bergen's ladder truck was then set up in position to help contain the anticipated inferno, as well as a handful of charged fire hoses, then using road flares, Fix set the structure on fire.

Once the house was ablaze, the firefighters were give a chance to do something that never happens at a real fire scene -- pose for a group photo in front of the burning building.

It took more than an hour for the structure to be completely consumed.

Mark Hare, who was about 5 when his family moved into the house in 2000, made a video of the destruction of his childhood home while his mother, Dawn Hare, looked on. Andy Hare, a retired city firefighter, is in Georgia and couldn't be here for the fire. The Hares' daughter is also out of town.

The Hares built a new home on the hill behind the old farmhouse two years ago, and it's now for sale.

Dawn said the whole family was sad to see the old house go, but it had to be done. The structure had numerous deficiencies and had deteriorated beyond repair. Even when the Hares lived in it, there was no heat on the second floor, the kitchen sink backed up every winter and the electric was out of date.

Fix said it took him six months of work to get all of the proper permissions to burn down the structure, including insurance letters, letters from every utility company that ever serviced the house, the Hares themselves and the DEC.

Since all of the proper paperwork was only recently completed, and it's the onset of winter, the fire department decided to do all of its training and the final bonfire in a single day.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here. 

There are 10 black and white photos in the slide show. They were shot with a Nikon F4 and Illford XP2 film.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Town of Batavia fire is on scene of what started as an automatic alarm of fire, but upon arrival there was smoke in the building.

No flames have been reported at this point.

The location is on Route 98, but we didn't get details on the original dispatch ("alarm of fire" is pretty much always a false alarm).

Town of Batavia's ladder truck is out of service, so Le Roy's ladder is responding mutual aid.

Oakfield is requested to the Town of Batavia fire hall to fill in.

Crews are investigating the structure and there is a smell of smoke at the front of the building, but nothing has been found yet.

UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: Source located (didn't hear what it is), but all units still responding can back it down to non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 6:25 p.m.: Le Roy and Oakfield back in service.

UPDATE 6:31 p.m.: Burned out electrical strip. No damage to the structure.

A fully involved house fire is reported at 5 Myrtle St. in Le Roy. Heavy smoke and flames showing. There are still people inside the house -- entrapment. Le Roy fire is responding along with mutual aid from Caledonia.

UPDATE 2:19 p.m.: It is believed everyone is out of the house. Bergen and Pavilion are also responding. The address is between Clay and Bank streets. Le Roy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 2:25 p.m.: Town of Batavia's Fast Team is called in and National Grid is notified about the fire.

UPDATE 2:26: "It looks like they've got it knocked down."

UPDATE 2:28 p.m.: They are going to bring in fans to clear the smoke. National Grid has no ETA.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.: Stafford is standing by in Stafford's quarters, in case needed for any other Le Roy incident. Firefighters on Myrtle Street are taking out their tools for overhaul.

UPDATE 2:34 p.m.: "It looks pretty clear on the second floor."

UPDATE 2:37 p.m.: They are asking the Town of Batavia to go back in service. Fire is out. Doing overhaul.

UPDATE 2:43 p.m.: Caledonia is released from the scene.

UPDATE (by Howard): At the time I left the scene, about 3 p.m., the cause of the fire was under investigation. Chief Tom Woods said when he arrived on scene, there were flames showing in the back of the structure and two people were partially out of a window. It's a little unclear, but apparently they had tried to put the fire out and thought the fire was out. Investigators had not yet completed interviews with them. Woods told the people to get out of the building and they did. Crews were quick the scene and interior firefighters made entry and knocked the fire down before it could do serious damage. A neighbor called the fire in, not the residents. Woods said that if the fire had been going five more minutes before fire crews arrived the whole structure would have been lost and it would have been a difficult fire to fight because of how close together units are on Myrtle.

A brush fire is reported by the side of the road at 955 Lewiston Road, Basom.

Alabama fire is responding.

UPDATE 10:11 a.m.: Alabama fire back in service. All units returning to quarters.

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A caller reports a microwave fire at 5893 Griswold Road that is now out, but an ambulance is requested to the scene.

The microwave is now in a bathtub full of water.

Byron fire responding. South Byron staging in quarters.

UPDATE 10:05 a.m.: South Byron can go back in service.

UPDATE 10:14 a.m.: Correction, it was Stafford fire that responded. Stafford fire is back in service.

A small grass fire was reported in Kibbe Park and city firefighters are on scene. It was seen behind the pavilion. A fire chief requested police to respond. The park is located at the end of Kibbe Avenue, off Oakland Avenue.

Last night, another fire like this was reported in Kibbe Park, not far from today's blaze.

There is a report of smoke in the residence at 7617 Mechanic St., South Byron.

A chief on scene reports smelling smoke and seeing faint smoke, but can't locate the source yet.

Byron and South Byron originally dispatched, but the South Byron engine has been told to respond non-emergency and Byron can stand down.

UPDATE 9:14 a.m.: Faulty hot water heater. All units back in service.

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A microwave at the Subway shop at 8483 Alleghany Road, Pembroke, caught fire this morning.

It has been unplugged, but there is smoke in the building.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire companies dispatched. One engine from Akron responding mutual aid.

UPDATE 7:12 p.m.: Light smoke in the building. It will be cleared. Akron canceled.

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.: Pembroke, Indian Falls back in service.

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A structure fire is reported at the Plum Creek Driving Range, 5141 Batavia Elba Townline Road, Batavia.

Elba fire was initially dispatched and it's now gone to a second alarm, with East Pembroke, Byron, Bergen, Alexander and the city's Fast Team among units dispatched.

UPDATE 3:58 p.m.: Elba crews had the fire out by the time most of second-alarm companies were arriving on scene. The blaze started with a Gator-type vehicle in a work shed. Also responding were Town of Batavia, Oakfield and Bethany.

UPDATE 4:20 p.m.: Elba and all other units back in service.

A field fire is report in the area of North Pembroke and Galloway roads. Smoke is showing. "It's in the middle of a field. I'm not sure how we're going to get to it," says a responder on scene. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding and Alabama and Town of Batavia are providing mutual aid.

UPDATE 2:25 p.m.: The property owner is on scene and says he's burning some brush from a hedgerow. Alabama and Town of Batavia are back in service. East Pembroke will handle the assignment as need be.

A controlled burn at 9870 Perry Road "is no longer a controlled burn. It's a field fire moving toward the woods," according to an emergency dispatcher. Pavilion Fire Department is called. The location is between Black Street Road and Cole Road.

UPDATE 4:01 p.m.: "A call back from the resident indicates the fire is now mostly under control."

A field fire has been reported in the area of 9384 Shepard Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia fire responding.

UPDATE 5:23 p.m.: The fire is out. Town of Batavia is back in service.

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A working car fire is reported, with flames showing underneath it, on the westbound 490. Le Roy and Bergen fire crews are responding. It's at mile marker 2.

UPDATE 5:15 p.m.: Foam will be used to douse the fire. Bergen is continuing to the scene. Le Roy is put back in service.

UPDATE 5:16 p.m.: The fire is out.