fire

Press release:

This Friday, Sept. 14th, the Batavia Blue Devils Football Team and its supporters would like to recognize all those who have worn or currently wear a military or first responder uniform by inviting them to come to the home game.

Any military personnel, police officer, firefighter or first responder will get free admission (with proof of ID) as well as a complementary hot dog and drink. They will also be seated in the end zone; and to thank them for their service, they will be honored at approximately 7:15 p.m. prior to the start of the game.

Vandetta Stadium is located at 120 Richmond Avenue in the City of Batavia.

Smoke is reportedly coming from an electrical panel in a residence at 9246 Glenwood Drive in the Town of Le Roy. Le Roy fire is on scene; Bergen's ladder truck is also called along with Le Roy ambulance. Light smoke is inside. Now an engine out of Stafford is called.

UPDATE 5:21 p.m.: An infrared camera will be used to detect heat in the walls.

A shrub is on fire in the area of South Swan Street and Ellicott Street, according to a caller to dispatch. A red Chevy Impala is nearby. The shrub is near a structure. City fire just arrived and reports the location is at the rear of 400 Ellicott. Light smoke is showing.

UPDATE 6:35 a.m.: "Porch on fire. Water on the fire. Overhauling. Will be investigating," says command.

UPDATE 6:39 a.m.: Fire command asks for the owner of the residence at 400 Ellicott St. to be contacted to come to the scene.

UPDATE 6:43 a.m.: The owner says he will try and locate the tenant to respond or he, the owner, will respond. Command says the owner might want to respond regardless of the tenant's availability because "quite a bit of this porch" is damaged from the blaze.

UPDATE 6:53 a.m.: Ladder #15 is back in service.

UPDATE 6:58 a.m.: Command at the scene awaits the owner, with a five- to 10-minute ETA.

UPDATE 7:19 a.m.: The owner arrived and contacted the tenant. Fire command is back in service.

A caller reports smoke coming from under the porch and possibly from the basement of a residence at 5 Franklin St., Batavia.

The occupants have been advised to evacuate. 

City fire dispatched.

UPDATE 10:25 p.m.: Fire contained to the porch, smoldering right now.

UPDATE 10:31 p.m.: Fire is out. Overhauling.

A pile of railroad ties reportedly are on fire at the Ivison Road railroad crossing in Byron.

Byron and South Byron fire departments dispatched.

UPDATE 6:37 p.m.: A chief on scene sees no fire or smoke. CSX called in the fire. The chief says all units respond non-emergency. He's investigating.

UPDATE 6:42 p.m.: Apparently, the fire has been located, near marker 394 east. It's not a big fire, just a couple ties. A chief at the fire suggests bringing the grass truck to the location.

UPDATE 6:53 p.m.: Fire is out, all units released. "It looks like CSX was doing some welding and that's what sparked it," a chief reports.

A shed fire is reported at 10035 Perry Road, Pavilion.

The shed is reportedly about 25 feet from the house. The location is just south of Junction Road.

Pavilion, Le Roy and Caledonia dispatched.

UPDATE 11:27 p.m.: Working structure fire, two structures involved, "with exposure problems."

UPDATE 11:43 p.m.: Bergen requested to stand by at the Bergen hall.

A car with no license plates was reported on fire on the Thruway side of the toll booth in Pembroke.

A toll taker reports the driver got out of the car and into a car driven by a female.

The car is a Nissan Altima.

Officers on scene suspect it's stolen and they are asking to see any Thruway video surveillance of the area.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments dispatched.

UPDATE 10:32 a.m.: Fire is out.

A structure fire is reported at 8010 Wilcox Road, Le Roy. Le Roy Fire Department is responding along with mutual aid from Pavilion, Bergen, Stafford and the City of Batavia. National Grid is called to the scene, as well as an ambulance from Caledonia. The location is off of Circular Hill Road.

UPDATE 6:30 a.m.: An engine and Fast Team from Mumford are also called in.

UPDATE 6:40 a.m.: A tanker from York is responding.

UPDATE 6:43 a.m.: Town of Batavia Fire Department is asked to stand by in its hall for Stafford Fire Department.

UPDATE 6:54 a.m.: Fire is knocked down; checking for extensions. York told to continue non-emergency.

UPDATE 7 a.m.: Le Roy's auxiliary is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 7:06 a.m.: One engine from Avon is requested to fill in at Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 7:07 a.m.: A Le Roy engine at the scene is being rerouted to the Dunkin' Donuts shop on West Main Street, Le Roy, for the odor of something electrical burning inside a refrigeration unit there.

UPDATE 7:13 a.m.: An electrical problem in a bathroom is thought to have caused the fire on Wilcox Road, which damaged the bathroom. There is smoke and water damage in the house.

UPDATE 7:19 a.m.: The fill in for Le Roy from Avon is canceled; York at the scene will be the fill-in instead.

UPDATE 7:24 a.m.: The Dunkin' Donuts refrigeration unit is deemed to have a faulty motor, which has been disconnected. Le Roy's engine is returning to the Wilcox Road incident, and most of the mutual aid responders are put back in service.

UPDATE 7:42 a.m.: Command says Red Cross assistance will be needed for one adult and two dogs who lived in the home.

Trees on reportedly on fire on Knowlesville Road just north of Lewiston Road, Alabama.

Alabama fire and Oakfield fire dispatched.

UPDATE 1:08 a.m.: Units can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 1:11 a.m.: It's a brush pile.

A porch fire is reported at 5 Prospect Ave., Batavia.

The resident is reportedly trying to extinguish it.

City fire dispatched.

UPDATE 2:46 p.m.: Fire out, checking for extensions.

A caller reports smoke in the residence, but no flames, with lights flickering, at 895 Bloomingdale Road, Basom.

Alabama is already out on a call for a motor-vehicle accident on Route 63.

Pembroke and Indian Falls dispatched to Bloomingdale Road.

UPDATE 11:58 a.m.: It appears to be a sump pump malfunction. All units, except Alabama Engine 1, can go back in service.

Electric lines are arcing, causing a possible fire in a dairy cow barn at 8427 Gully Road in Le Roy. Le Roy Fire Department is responding, along with mutual aid from Bergen, Stafford, Pavilion, Caledonia and a Fast Team and tanker from Mumford, plus the City of Batavia and Mercy medics. A first responder on scene says "nothing showing, investigating."

UPDATE 5:16 a.m.: Electricity has been cut to the barn. Responders on scene are searching the barn. All mutual aid responders are told to hold the assignment in their quarters, but the city is continuing in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 5:18 a.m.: The city's third platoon is requested to the fire station.

UPDATE 5:21 a.m.: The city's engine 11 is back in service. The Gully Road location is between Conlon and Hebbard roads. Mutual aid responders are told to go back in service, per Le Roy's fire chief.

UPDATE 5:36 a.m.: The Le Roy assignment is back in service.

A rekindle is reported at 7230 Telephone Road, Pavilion, the residence destroyed earlier today by a fire.

Pavilion fire and Le Roy fire dispatched.

UPDATE 11:19 p.m.: A caller reported driving by on her way home from work and saw flames. Le Roy can stand by in quarters while a Pavilion chief investigates.

UPDATE 11:23 p.m.: Le Roy and Caledonia can stand down.

A railroad tie fire is reported east of Donahue Road, Batavia.

Town of Batavia fire dispatched.

The caller is unsure of exact location. "It is by the water."

Train traffic is being shut down in both directions.

UPDATE 5:17 p.m.: The location is a half mile east of Donahue Road. A chief on scene says Engine 23 can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 5:20 p.m.: A chief advises dispatch to contact CSX and notify the company that they might want to inspect the tie. "It's been burning for quite awhile."

As soon as one of the Schroth's family's dogs stuck his head out of a bedroom window of their burned-out home, the cry went up from a firefighter: "dog in the window."

A half-dozen firefighters, including Chief Jeff Pietrazykowski, Bethany fire, and Capt. Marty Hinz, City fire, (top photo), converged on the window and worked together to lift the black lab out of the smoldering building.

By that point, the manufactured home was already a total loss with the interior destroyed from end to end.

Somehow five of the family's six dogs were safely accounted for at one point this afternoon and a sixth, Lucky, the family believed escaped and was hiding in the nearby woods. They were also hopeful their five cats escaped. There was a doggy door on the back of the house.

Nobody was home when the fire was reported at 11:45 a.m. at 7230 Telephone Road, Pavilion.

When Pavilion's Assistant Chief Don Roblee arrived on the scene, he could see there was no saving the structure and he immediately informed dispatchers that crews would be fighting a defensive fire.

The concern among firefighters then was the welfare of the family pets. That, and dealing with hot, humid weather, which made it imperative for firefighters to rotate assignments and stay hydrated, cool and rested.

"We had a second alarm just because in this heat you need people," Roblee said. "You've got to rotate the guys out. You want to keep them fresh. You don't want to get them hurt. ... It's so hot. They put on that 150 pounds of gear on plus air packs, you know, they're just drenched. You lose so much water and moisture in the body; you've got to take care of it."

There is no information available yet on the cause or origin of the fire. Nobody was home when the fire started. Roblee said the owners told him the only thing on in the house were two window air conditioners. 

The 1,512-square-foot manufactured home was constructed in 1999 and it sat on 2.2 acres of land, according to county records.

Assisting Pavilion were Le Roy, Bethany, Stafford, Wyoming, Caledonia, and City of Batavia's Fast Team. The Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management also assisted at the scene.

The black lab pulled from the window was soaking wet but had no interest in getting an air mask put over his face by Hinz once he was in a safe spot.  He was happy to get love from his owners Nessy Schroth and her mother Kim Schroth, who was overcome with emotion when she saw him.

Their other black lab, Mac, rescued later, was breathing hard after he was carried away from the house. Hinz fitting the breathing mask over his face while another firefighter poured water on him and petted him. Soon, they moved him into an air-conditioned truck and shortly after that he walked away from the scene on his own.

Previously: Trailer fire reported off Route 20 in Pavilion

"Dog in the window."

Pietrazykowski with the black lab rescued from the window.

Kim Schroth was overcome with emotion, happy to see one of her black labs rescued safely from the fire in her house.

A trailer, believed to be vacant, is reportedly on fire at 7230 Telephone Road, Pavilion.

Pavilion fire and Le Roy fire dispatched. Mutual aid requested from Caledonia.

UPDATE 11:43 a.m.: There are pets in the structure.

UPDATE 11:44 a.m.: Heavy smoke, no flames showing, "but there's definitely a fire. It's going to be defensive by the time we get here." The owner reportedly just went inside. 

UPDATE 11:45 a.m.: Owner is out. Going to a second alarm. This is a trailer park.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 11:48 a.m.: This is a working trailer fire. The city's Fast Team, Bethany, Stafford, Perry Center, York and Wyoming are also called; "exterior only"; Perry to fill at Pavilion; medics called in non-emergency for rehab.

UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: The city fourth platoon is called into headquarters.

UPDATE 11:55 a.m.: "The owner is running up the road."

UPDATE 11:57 a.m.: Traffic police are requested to the scene by command.

UPDATE 11:59 a.m.: "All units go defensive," says command.

UPDATE 12:11 p.m.: Le Roy fire's auxiliary is requested to bring refeshments to the scene.

UPDATE 12:25 p.m.: Four pet dogs were safely rescued from the burning trailer.

UPDATE 12:39 p.m.: Five dogs have been rescued: Rosie, Penelope, Mac, Jack and Snoopy. A sixth dog, Lucky, is missing. Two cats are also missing, but the owner believes they may have escaped through the doggie dog and ran off.

UPDATE 1:01 p.m.: A total of five cats are missing. There were six dogs, five cats and four people living in the trailer. Five of the dogs are accounted for.     The people either got out or were already out when the fire occurred.

UPDATE 1:44 p.m.: Pavilion Second Assistant Chief Don Roblee said: the whole building -- a double-wide trailer with no cellar -- was involved by the time he arrived on scene. Nobody was home. A couple of portable air conditioners were turned on. There was no gas line to the trailer, but there were a couple of small propane tanks that "were just poppin'." National Grid cut power to the structure. "The lady of the house got there pretty quick and was just screaming to get her animals." Initially six dogs were trapped inside. "They made a good rescue." Five dogs are accounted for; a dog named Lucky got out but has not been located. Although five cats were also kept as pets there, Roblee says "they never told us anything about cats. We never saw any cats. They propably got out and are running around." The fire appears to have begun in the living room, spread to the kitchen, then back to the bedrooms. The ceilings and roof were collapsing and the fire was fought defensively from the get-go. The trapped dogs made their way to a back bedroom, called there through a window by firefighters. They were then rescued. "Good size dogs, beagles, too, Jack Russells." Eight fire companies from three counties -- including mutual aid from Livingston and Wyoming counties -- fought the blaze. "They're doing a pretty good job." It went to a second alarm, Roblee said, because they needed enough firefighters ready to relieve those who needed rehab. Fighting a fire wearing 150 pounds of clothing and gear, plus air packs in hot weather quickly dehydrates a person. Pavilion doesn't have an auxiliary any longer, so Le Roy's was called in. The trailer is a total loss. They are "drowning" hot spots now and will conduct an investigation.

A pickup truck pulling a fifth-wheel trailer is on fire, fully involved, at Route 77 and Route  5, Pembroke. 

The fire is moving toward the trailer, which has a full propane tank on the front of the trailer. There are also power lines overhead.

Pembroke fire and Indian Falls fire responding. 

UPDATE 12:12 p.m.: Fire is knocked down. Starting overhaul. Route 5 is closed in both directions.

A fire in a detached garage at 6943 Knowlesville Road has now apparently caused the house to catch on fire.

Alabama fire dispatched along with Oakfield, East Pembroke, Pembroke, Elba and the City of Batavia's Fast Team.

UPDATE(S) (By Billie) 9:46 a.m.: Multiple explosions are heard. Indian Falls is standing by in their quarters. The city's second platoon is called its fire hall.

UPDATE 9:51 a.m.: National Grid and a code enforcement officer are called to the scene.

UPDATE 10:03 a.m.: National Grid has about a 10-minute ETA. Command asks that Salvation Army be contacted.

UPDATE 11:02 a.m.: The man who owns the house told Alabama Fire Chief Bill Schutt that he had been in his garage trying to repair his lawnmower and had stopped briefly to go elsewhere on the property to talk to a neighbor. Both people heard a loud pop then saw flames coming from the garage. The homeowner grabbed a garden hose in an attempt to keep the fire contained. Firefighters arrived quickly and were able to take advantage of new water lines and fire hydrants installed in the hamlet just last month, Schutt said. The garage burned down and the back of the house is heavily singed. The house next door has melted siding on a rear corner due to heat exposure. The fire is out. Firefighters are overhauling now.

A grass fire is reported at Route 33 and Warner Road, Byron.

The fire is 150 feet from a house.

A fire chief on scene has requested a law enforcement response, no reason given. A trooper is responding.

Byron and South Byron fire departments dispatched.

UPDATE 7:21 p.m.: All equipment can be held in quarters at this time.

A working barn fire is reported at 6866 Terry St. in Byron. It is almost on the ground and smoke can be seen from the Town of Batavia. There are several exposures and trees are said to be catching on fire.

Byron and South Byron fire departments are responding along with mutual aid from Bergen, Elba and the City's Fast Team. It has gone to a second alarm.

UPDATE 2:21 p.m.: All responding units to Terry Street are told by command "to back it down."

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.: The residents at the property where the barn is located were not home at the time. The mother of one of the residents said a young couple passing by rescued a cat that was inside the barn, which was a small two-story wooden structure.