My T Acres

There's quite a sight on Lewiston Road, Batavia -- MY T Acres has planted acres and acres and acres of potatoes, which are now in flower.

No cause has yet been determined in the fire that tore through several barns at My T Acres on Lewiston Road in Batavia last week. Tim Yaeger, Genesee County Emergency Management coordinator, told us that he was still working to determine what led to the blaze, along with members of the fire department and several provate investigators.

"We haven't yet ruled anything out," said Yaeger. "It doesn't look suspicious. It was an accidental fire. But we don't have anything yet. We continue to work at it."

The following photos were submitted by Molly Riner, a member of the family that co-owns the farm. The first shows the view inside the main barn shortly after the fire broke out. Below that is the interior of the "gym" that sustained some damage in the blaze. Lastly, we see the main barn after it had become completely engulfed.

Earlier today, we met with Patricia Riner, one of the co-owners of My T Acres on Lewiston Road in Batavia, site of a massive barn fire yesterday—coverage on The Batavian has been ongoing. Riner told us about the nearly incalculable loss—all of the farm equipment in the barn, including tractors, planters, harvesters, fertilizer, tires, irrigation equipment; basketball hoops and gym equipment—everything was lost. Farmers and friends and family from all over the region have been coming by offering their support, says Riner. Folks came by with lunch today. Some have made offers of farm equipment to lend to help finish up the season's crop transfers. Others have been by to help clean up in any way they can.

There's still no word on what caused the fire nor any estimate on the damage. Riner said that they can only hope for the best going forward.

Please follow this link for our complete coverage.

Tom Rivers reports in today's Daily News that Batavia Downs will now be known as Batavia Downs Casino following a change of heart among the state's lottery regulators. Further, "video gaming machines" will no be re-dubbed "slots." Rivers explains:

Lottery and state legislators have eased their restraint in using terms "casino" and "slots" to describe the activities and games in the race tracks, which are now filled with beeping and flashing machines that resemble Vegas slots.

What does this mean for the business? Apparently, a lot.

"The word 'casino' is more representative of our business," said Martin Biniasz, the Downs marketing director. "It's a wise move on the state's part because they realize these machines can be a great revenue generator."

Biniasz goes on to say that the new name will allow them to better compete with Native American casinos.

In other news, Scott DeSmit covered yesterday's fire at My T Acres in Batavia, which was featured on The Batavian yesterday and this morning. The Batavian will also be posting an interview with My T Acres co-owner Patricia Riner later this afternoon.

We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

We received a press release this morning from the town of Batavia Fire Department with further details on yesterday's massive barn fire at My T Acres on Lewiston Road in Batavia. The Batavia crew reports that the fire, which started in the main barn of a three-barn complex, completely destroyed "the main barn and numerous pieces of farm equipment," which were stored inside. Both of the additional attached barns "received substantial heat, smoke and water damage."

We reported yesterday that only one firefighter sustained a minor injury, but he did not seek medical assistance. No livestock or other animals were housed in the farm complex. No one else was injured as a result of the fire.

Investigators are already on scene today looking to establish a cause and origin of the fire. No estimated dollar value of loss has yet been determined. The Batavian left a message this morning with the property owner, Nate Call, who was on scene with the insurance representative.

Mutual-aid fire departments were requested from the City of Batavia, Alexander, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and East Pembroke Fire Departments. Additional Fire units from Stafford, Albion, Attica, Indian Falls, Alabama, Barre and Corfu fire departments provided stand-by assistance.

The Town of Batavia Fire Department was also assisted at the scene by the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Genesee County Health Department, Genesee County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police and the Wyoming County Correctional Facility.

The following photographs of the wreckage were submitted by Steve Ognibene.

Thomas Wommack submitted this photo. He said he shot the scene Galloway Road.

Our previous posts:

• Video: My T Acres barn fire (Details)
• Batavia: My T Acres barns engulfed in flames

We continue to welcome reader pictures of this fire (or anything interesting you've photographed).  The best way to submit photos is to create a new blog post and upload your photos. Here's a tutorial to help.

UPDATE: Here's a satallite photo via Google Maps of the farm.  The barn that was destroyed is the large one to the right of the photo. The gymnasium forms the lower part of the T, pointing toward Lewiston Road.

The fire has also become a topic of discussion in the Ag-Talk Forum.

Deputy Chief Paul Barrett, of the town of Batavia Fire Department, gives us a summation of the days events following the barn fire earlier today at My T Acres on Lewiston Road in Batavia. Please note: we spoke with Barrett shortly after 1:30pm, three hours after the fire broke out. At that time, they expected to be on scene extinguishing a handful of smaller fires for another few hours.

UPDATE 10:54 a.m.: The fire is at 8127 Lewiston Rd. in Batavia.  A large plume of black smoke can be seen drifting over the city of Batavia.

UPDATE: 11:17 a.m.  We're at the scene (after a long walk because State Troopers wouldn't let us drive in). 

Owner of the property Pat Riner says they noticed a small flame coming from one of the barns and the fire spread quickly.  A silo appears to have fallen. UPDATE: After the flames and smoke cleared, I decided what looked like the ribs of a silo were just part of the barn that had been fully engulfed.

The facility is My-T acres.

Witnesses said they heard explosions. Riner said the explosions where mostly truck engines. The barn that caught fire was full of harvester equipment, "because the harvest is over." She said. Also, a truck was full of ferilizer for next year.

The structure is adjacent ot a barn that Riner described as a sports facility used by many athletes in Batavia.  As we post now, the fire is spreading to that structures while crews battle the flames from atop two ladder trucks, spraying water down onto the flames.

We should have a quick video posted in 30 to 60 minutes.

Philip Anselmo will follow up with more reports once he's on scene.

UPDATE: 11:29 a.m.:  Crews put additonal hoses on the sprots-structure fire. The fire seems well tapped down at that end of the building now. I'd estimate about 15 to 20 percent of the structure was lost.

UPDATE 11:52 a.m. : Here's a quick video from the scene.

UPDATE 12:08 p.m.: Spoke with Genesee County Emergency Management Coordinator Timothy Yaeger briefly. No loss of life. No injuries. No animals known to be involved. About 12 companies responded.  Flames can still be seen in an around the structure, but the fire appears to be under control.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.:  The fire is under control and nearly extinquished. Some of the companies that responded are now back in service.

Below is one of the pictures from the scene.  More can be viewed here.

UPDATE:  If you were at the scene and took pictures, or took pictures of the plume over Batavia, please upload them in a blog post or send us a link to where ever you posted your shots.

Here's a camera phone shot taken from the Thruway.

-----

FIRST POST 10:40 a.m.: We've received reports of a large barn fire in Pembroke Batavia.  Multiple units responding, from as far away and LeRoy.

We'll head out to the scene now.