fire

Genesee County volunteer firefighters were called to the scene early this morning of a tanker truck fire that claimed the life of the truck's driver in Barre, Orleans County.

The tanker was carrying ethanol and the fire reportedly spread quickly into the wooded area around the accident.

To fight an ethanol fire, fire fighters must use foam, so Genesee County units that have foam cabability were called to the scene.

Units responded from Town of Batavia, Elba, Byron and Oakfield, along with Genesee County Emergency Services Unit and the county's hazmat team.

The fire is now out and clean up work along is in progress.  

One Elba tanker along with the hazmat team and ESU remains on scene at this time. Emergency Coordinator Tim Yaeger said the remaining Genesee County personnel wlll be on scene yet for quite some time.

UPDATE 10:49 a.m.: The family cat perished in the fire.

UPDATED 9:27 a.m. Updated at 2:32 p.m. with addtional information included.

One person suffered burns in an early morning house fire at 3 Orchard Drive, Le Roy, the that Le Roy police classify as suspicious.

No suspect has been named in the fire.

Two other people managed to escape the blaze, one by climbing out of a second floor window and the other being helped from a second floor deck by a Le Roy Police officer, who protected her from the flames as he helped her down an outside stairway.

The call came in at 3:26 a.m. after the family dog woke one of the residents and alerted her to the fire. She called 9-1-1.

The woman was then helped from the deck by Officer Rob Tygart. Her husband, Richard Nelson, climbed from a back window when his exit path was blocked by flames.

Paul Atkinson, 42, reportedly suffered 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree burns. He was taken by Le Roy Ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Nelson suffered an ankle injury, but initially declined treatment. Hours after the fire, he requested treatment for the injury as well as a complain of pain in his side.

The fourth occupant of the home, the owner, Thomas Atkinson, was out  delivering newspapers at the time the fire was called in.

Le Roy Chief of Police Chris Hayward said the investigation has not yet determined if smoke detectors sounded after the blaze started.

"The daughter was the one who called the fire in and the way it was going it probably would have been a total loss if she hadn’t heard the dog," Hayward said. "God only knows what the outcome would have been."

There are aspects of the fire scene, Hayward indicated, that lead investigators to suspect the fire could have been intentionally set.

Investigators are trying to determine who might have set the fire.

An aggressive response by the first Le Roy firefighters on scene, Bill Wood and Tom Carroll, was critical to containing the fire to two back rooms, said Le Roy Fire Chief Mike Sheflin, who also gave credit to the department's aerial crew.

"You can see where they cut the vent," Sheflin said. "It's in the perfect spot to keep the fire from extending."

Sheflin said the department quickly overcame a problem with water pressure in the neighborhood by calling in tankers from Stafford, Bergen, Pavilion and Caledonia.

The chief wouldn't speculate on the cause of the drop in water pressure and referred questions to the Monroe County Water Authority. There is water line construction currently taking place on East Avenue.

Also assisting at the scene were Genesee County Emergency Services and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. A Mercy EMS ambulance responded on standby in Le Roy while the local ambulance was tied up on the call.

No firefighters were injured.

An electrical fire is reported coming from the panel box outside the residence at 10805 Sandpit Road in Alexander.

Alexander Fire Department is on location and advises that National Grid be notified.

UPDATE 7:40 p.m.: National Grid notified, no ETA. The firefighters are checking out the rest of the home to make sure everything is OK.

UPDATE 8:38 p.m.: Alexander Fire back in service.

A tractor fire is reported at 10071 Bethany Center Road, Bethany.

The tractor is reportedly near a barn.

Bethany Fire is dispatched.

UPDATE 11:12 a.m.: It's a skid loader. It's been moved from the barn, but still close to the structure.

UPDATE 11:14 a.m.: Fire appears to be out. Units can respond non-emergency.

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There is a report of a brush fire near the back of the cemetery, off North Street in Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire and Le Roy Ambulance responding.

UPDATE 8:48 p.m.: A chief reports, "It appears to be fairly decent size ... but we're not going to get it from here." He's recommending units repond to Church Street. Another chief requests law enforcement to the scene on the Church Street side.

UPDATE 8:57 p.m.: Fire knocked down.

A structure fire is reported at 11341 Wyoming Road, in Pavilion near Route 19. The caller states that her husband says the fire is out, but it's in a crawl space and she's concerned that it might not be out.

Pavilion Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:27 p.m.: The caller called back and said now there's a natural gas leak. A firefighter says the fire is out and they are investigating further.

UPDATE 5:29 p.m.: A thermal imaging camera is requested at the scene.

UPDATE 5:39 p.m.: National Fuel has an ETA of about 30 minutes.

Wires on a pole are on fire at 637 Route 19, behind a building near the railroad tracks, in Pavilion. It's about 50 to 60 feet from the roadway, posing "no immediate danger."

Pavilion Fire Department is responding. National Grid is being notified.

Also, the traffic light is out at the junction of routes 63 and 19. And a fire chief says traffic is "blowing by" without stopping at the intersection.

UPDATE 1:25 p.m.: Pavilion Fire Department has cleared the scene. National Grid's ETA is at least an hour. But all businesses in the area have electricity. State Troopers are handling the traffic situation at the lightless intersection of routes 19 and 63. The Department of Transportation's traffic detail will be responding to the intersection.

A house basement reportedly caught fire after being struck by lightning at 9977 Seward Road in Alexander.

Alexander and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Darien and East Pembroke fire departments are called to the scene.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: The Alexander fire chief says other units can respond in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 1:27 p.m.: Darien is clearing the scene. Apparently, the fire is out.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: All units back in service.

A grass fire is reported off the eastbound Thruway between mile markers 379 and 380. Le Roy fire and ambulance responding.

What I believe was the voice of a law enforcement officer came on the scanner and said, "my car's on fire."

Alexander Fire Department is being dispatched to the intersection of routes 98 and 20.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: The fire is out. The car is a Sheriff's Office patrol car.

A car fire has been reported in front of the residence at 379 Martin Road, Akron.

Alabama Fire dispatched.

UPDATE 10:22 p.m.: Akron Fire was dispatched mutual aid, but told they can now stand down. Fire is knocked down.

UPDATE 11 p.m.: Alabama Fire back in service.

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A person suffered smoke inhalation following a fire in an electrical box at the car wash at 13 Liberty St. in the City of Batavia.

A city fire engine and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 3:07 p.m.: National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE 3:09 p.m.: The fire is knocked out and they are checking for any extension of it.

UPDATE 3:12 p.m.: Mercy unit is back in service with a patient sign-off.

Photos by Frank Capuano

An unknown type of fire has been reported in the back yard of 6972 Cole Road, Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire Department responding.

UPDATE 11:01 p.m.: Landowner on scene tells a chief he thinks it may be over by Bernd Road, so the chief is checking that area.

UPDATE 11:02 p.m.: Assignment being held to one truck for now.

UPDATE 11:03 p.m.: It appears to be a campfire.

UPDATE 11:05 p.m.: Le Roy assignment back in service.

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A dryer fire was reported at 61 Myrtle St., Le Roy, in the basement.

Flames were showing.

An assistent chief responded to the scene and knocked the flames down with an extinguisher.

Le Roy Fire is responding and Bergen is responding mutual aid, non-emergency.

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A possible house fire is reported at 9378 Clipnock Road in Stafford. There is smoke in the residence.

Stafford Fire Department, along with Town of Batavia and Le Roy units are called to respond.

The location is between Sweetland and Torrey roads.

UPDATE 8:52 p.m.: The Stafford crew is on scene and asks responders to come in non-emergency mode. Le Roy is standing by in Stafford's hall.

UPDATE 9:01 p.m.: Stafford command says there are no signs of fire. The responders are all put back in service.

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A wire is reportedly down, landing on a truck, and is burning in the area 5815 Main Road, Stafford.

Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:08 p.m.: National Grid has a 20 to 25 minute ETA. A firefighter on scene reports the wire is not on the truck, but on the ground.

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A tractor-trailer fire has been reported on the Thruway in the area of mile marker 389.8.

The driver reported engine trouble. The turbo was revving fast and he was unable to power it down.

The fire is contained to the engine compartment at this time.

Unknown what cargo the truck is hauling.

Town of Batavia Fire Department responding.

UPDATE 9:17 p.m.: The location is just west of the State Street overpass. The visible fire is out. The driver reports the engine has seized up. The truck is hauling welding rods.

There is report of smoke in the hallway of an apartment at 106 State St.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 10:58 p.m.: Burnt food. City fire back in service.

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A trailer owned by an ardent Jack Davis supporter in Darien that was badly damaged in a fire on May 9 is being investigated as an arson, according to Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster.

But the torching is not considered a political act, Brewster said.

It's probably related to an April 1 fire in an unoccupied fire at 9427 Alexander Road, Alexander.

In both cases, holes were found in the floors of the trailers, which is consistent with somebody setting a fire and using an accelerant.

In both cases, no other cause -- electrical, natural gas, lightning, etc. -- could be uncovered.

"When there's nothing there that is believed to have been able to cause it to catch fire, then we have to look at possible human involvement," Brewster said.

No suspects have been identified.  

Brewster said investigators have little to go on -- no gas can left behind with finger prints, no witnesses, no physical evidence.

"Bottom line, unless you have something that connects somebody to that fire, you’re stuck," Brewster said. "It's very difficult. Arsons are very difficult."

Brewster said investigators have been canvassing the neighborhoods looking for witnesses.

He said there's no indication the owner of either trailer had somebody motivated to damage their property for personal reasons.

The May 9 fire was at 11198 Tinkham Road, Darien. The property is owned by Charlie Flagg, a local artist who had planted 5,000 Jack Davis signs in his yard.

"When you have a structure that is not being used and all the sudden it catches on fire, all the sudden your eyebrows are going to go up," Brewster said.

Anybody with information that might assist in the investigation are asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 343-5000.

A power line is reportedly down and in the roadway in the area of 1167 Gabbey Road, Pembroke.

The line is reportedly arcing and sparking and possibily on fire.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire dispatched.

UPDATE 9:07 p.m.: National Grid notified. No ETA.

UPDATE 9:15 p.m.: National Grid reports 75 customers without power from this spot north to the reservation.

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