fire

A sky lantern may look pretty, but firefighters warn they're potentially dangerous and also outlawed in New York.

Tonight, one floated over the City of Batavia Fire Hall that narrowly missed landing on the roof of Saint Mary's.

"Should this unattended fire in the sky have landed on the roof of the church or surrounding buildings it could have caused significant damage," said the department in a press release about the incident.

Firefighters retrieved the lantern and extinguished the still-burning fire.

"We ask that all residents discontinue the use of 'sky lanterns' so they and their neighbors can enjoy a safe 4th of July," the release said.

PDF: A safety alert about sky lanterns.

PHOTO: From the PDF, not the actual lantern from tonight's incident.

A possible structure fire is reported at 25 North St. in the city, between State and Bank streets. The building has been evacuated and the smoke alarm is sounding. It may be electrical in nature. City fire is responding.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Firefighters on scene report nothing showing. The location is on the corner of Bank and North.

UPDATE 12:51 p.m.: They have checked the basement and it is clear.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: They've checked the first-floor apartment and found nothing.

There is a fire alarm -- and smoke has been spotted coming from a custodian's closet -- in the Ontario Cottage of the New York State Vet's Home.

City Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:41 p.m.: A firefighter has gained entry to the closet and reports, "no fire."

An electrical fire is reported at 513 Ellicott St., upper, Batavia.

The caller reports black smoke in the living room.

City Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 10:43 p.m.: City fire back in service.

A garage fire was reported in Pavilion overnight at 6638 Ellicott Street Road.

Pavilion Fire Department along with Bethany, Stafford and Le Roy responded to the 1:50 a.m. alarm.

The garage was destroyed, causing an estimated $20,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The property is owned by Jason A. Howland.

Photos provided by Joel Murcin.

A young woman from Le Roy said she believes she fell asleep before her car went off the road on Route 5 in Stafford at 11:22 p.m., Thursday.

The 2003 Dodge sedan became fully engulfed in flames after hitting a mailbox and then an earth embankment.

Marisa B. Fox, 20, of South Street Road, Le Roy, suffered minor injuries in the accident, which was investigated by Deputy Frank Bordonaro.

No citations were issued.

Stafford Fire Department responded to the fire call and Mercy EMS assisted at the scene.

(Initial Report)

A vehicle is on fire on Main Road in Stafford and "going pretty good" according to a responder on scene.

The vehicle may have been involved in an MVA.

Stafford Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 11:31 p.m.: It is an accident. The driver just requested an ambulance. Mercy EMS being dispatched.

UPDATE 11:36 p.m.: A deputy is on scene. A mailbox was destroyed at a residence.  The accident site is west of Hanson.

UPDATE 11:43 p.m.: The fire was under power lines. The flames weren't high, but they were hot. Dispatch is notifying National Grid to check the lines in the morning.

UPDATE 11:44 p.m. A chief now believes the lines did burn a bit and National Grid is requested to the scene now.

UPDATE 11:49 p.m.: Fire is out.

A caller reports that the porch of the residence across from his house on Thomas Avenue is on fire.

It's unknown if anybody is home in the house with the porch fire.

The location is across the street from 30 Thomas.

City fire responding.

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.: It's a BBQ grill, not a fire. City fire back in service.

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A potato chip fire is reported at Baskin Livestock, 9778 Creek Road, Bethany.

Baskin hauls in waste product from large bakery operations throughout the Northeast and converts it to cattle feed.

The fire is outside the structure.

Bethany fire is responding.

UPDATE 9:01 a.m.: The first is in a tractor-trailer. It's near a barn. A tanker out of Alexander and an engine from Town of Batavia requested to the scene.

UPDATE 9:11 a.m.: Fire is nearly out. Town of Batavia can respond non-emergency.

UPDATE 9:14 a.m.: A chief reports, "fire is out, just hot spots."

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A tree near the roadway is reported to be on fire at 8173 State Street Road, at the dead end. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 2:54 p.m.: The chief reports that a portion of the tree fell into power lines.

UPDATE 2:58 p.m.: The chief says there's nothing the fire department can do there and the town's assignment is back in service. National Grid is notified. Part of the tree is dangling on a primary power line and the homeowner is advised to remain clear of it.

A barn fire is reported at 8244 State Street Road, just north of the BOCES complex. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding. "That would be the old Stan's Harley-Davidson."

UPDATE 7:39 p.m.: Oakfield is asked to stand by in Town of Batavia's Station #1.

UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: State Street Road is shut down just north of BOCES to accommodate a 5-inch water line across the road to fight the fire.

UPDATE 7:48 p.m.: Town of Batavia fire and Mercy medics are on scene.

UPDATE 7:58 p.m.: The electrical breakers for the barn have been shut off.

UPDATE 8 p.m.: The barn is being vented.

UPDATE 8:09 p.m.: The fire is under control and firefighters are now doing overhaul.

City Fire Department is on scene in the area of Woodrow Road and Soccio Street, Batavia, where white smoke is seen coming from the second-floor window of a residence.

UPDATE 8:54 a.m.: It's a dryer fire.

UPDATE 8:55 a.m.: Third platoon to stand by at headquarters.

UPDATE 8:56 a.m.: Fire is out.Ventilating.

UPDATE 10 a.m.: City fire back in service.

A possible structure fire is reported at 7475 S. Pearl Street Road in Oakfield. It is believed to stem from an electrical problem in the basement, which is showing some white smoke. Oakfield Fire Department is responding and mutual aid is requested from East Pembroke, Town of Batavia, and Alabama, which is called to fill in at Oakfield's hall. Everyone is out of the building.

UPDATE 6:42 p.m.: The electrical circuits have been shut off and Oakfield is waiting for National Grid to arrive. All mutual aid responders back in service.

Fire photographer Jay Lynch was the first person on the scene last night of the house fire on Hutchinson Street, Pavilion. He provided these pictures of the early stages of the fire.

For more of Jay's fire photography, visit his Web site.

Previously: Quick response by volunteers at Pavilion fire saves a woman's life, her home and her pets

Quick work by volunteer firefighters responding to an initially vague report of a fire in Pavilion helped save a woman's life, save her two dogs and save most of her house, even though flames were shooting 25 feet in the air when firefighters first arrived.

Dispatchers initially received a call of flames or a red glow in the area of Route 19 at 11:36 p.m.

The alarm was sounded for the Pavilion Fire Department and volunteers roused from their beds started heading toward the fire hall, said Chief Paul Dougherty.

"The initial report put the fire at or near one of our member's homes, so he was able to tell us immediately it wasn't there," Dougherty said. "On his way to the station he saw where it was coming from and he was able to direct us to the location."

The fire was at 6918 Hutchinson St., a three-store Victorian built in 1860 and owned by Celia Milroy.

Milroy was home alone, sleeping, at the time the fire started. It started, apparently, her back porch.

Dougherty and another firefighter were first on scene and were advised by a Time Warner employee who was on his way to work that there might still be a person in the house.

The firefighters forced their way into the residence and broke through a glass window on the door and yelled to rouse Milroy.

She was initially skeptical that her house was on fire and wasn't in a particular hurry to leave, Dougherty said.

"It wasn't that she was scared," Dougherty said. "She was just taking her time. 'Let me get my shoes on.' 'Lady we don't have time for that.' We asked her if he had a key to the door because we'd knocked the glass out to yell into her, and we said, 'Lady, come on, do you have the key to this door? Can you open this door for us?" 'Just a minute. Just a minute.'" Dougherty chuckles recalling the conversation. "'We're in a bit of a hurry here, ma'am.' "

When she got out on the side porch and saw the flames, Dougherty said, that's when she was convinced her house was on fire.

Using Pavilion's foam truck and mutual aid from Le Roy, Bethany, York and Wyoming, firefighters were able to act quickly and save the house.

The enclosed back porch was heavily damaged, but most of the worse damage to the back half of the house is from smoke and water, Dougherty said. The front half of the house wasn't damaged at all.

Interior firefighters knocked the fire back pretty quickly, but with older homes and what is known as "balloon construction" the biggest danger is unseen flames climbing up the outside walls and into the attic.

"The quicker we could get in attic and make sure it wasn't traveling up there, the better," Dougherty said.

The roof was vented, which drew the flames up through the hole, giving firefighters an opportunity to effectively fight it before it advanced toward the front of the house.

"It was a good save," Dougherty said.

Also saved were two little dogs. The first was found quickly by firefighters and returned to Milroy safely, but the second one couldn't be located.

About 30 minutes into the fire fight, the small dog came charging out the back door, running over smoldering, hot timber, and was scooped up by a neighbor and given to a Pavilion firefighter, who carried the little guy to Mrs. Milroy, sitting with a neighbor across the street.

At least two firefighters were taken to UMMC for medical treatment, including one with heat exhaustion.

Interior firefighters told us it was pretty darn hot in the house on a hot night and several firefighters looked pretty beat when they first came out of the structure.

Also assisting at the scene were Le Roy Ambulance, City of Batavia's Fast Team, the Pavilion Auxiliary and the Sheriff's Office.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and Dougherty said it was too early to even take a guess at it.

UPDATE 9 a.m.: The cause of the fire has been determined to be "misuse of electrical equipment," according to a Sheriff's Office press release. Also, we didn't have a complete list of responding fire companies earlier. Also responding to the scene, Stafford and Perry. Bergen filled in at Le Roy's hall.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

A working structure fire is reported on Hutchinson Street in Pavilion. Stafford, Bethany and Le Roy fire departments, along with York, are responding with Pavilion. Bergen is asked to fill in at the Le Roy Fire Hall. They are on the second floor at this point checking for extentions.

UPDATE 12:15 a.m.: The fire is pretty well knocked down. The exact address is 6918 Hutchinson St. Two Rochester & Southern trains scheduled to run by soon are asked to slow it down. National Grid is called to the scene along with Salvation Army, the latter to provide refreshments.

UPDATE 12:19 a.m.: Interior crew reports no sign of fire extension on second floor, "must be in the attic." They are opening up the roof to vent the structure. "We can find no way into the attic from the second floor." Command reminds tankers not to park on the railroad.

UPDATE 12:22 a.m.: The city's Fast Team is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 12:24 a.m.: No response from Salvation Army, calling the Pavilion Auxiliary instead. "We're exiting the building. There's nothing we can do up here," says the fire chief regarding the interior crew.

UPDATE 12:28 a.m.: They cut a hole in the ceiling and reported seeing nothing, but a thermal camera shows fire and heat "in the eaves in the eastside." Subsequenty, fire "self-venting through the roof." Interior crews are exiting the house. "There's nothing we can do up here." Initially, flames were seen shooting out the back of the three-story house.

UPDATE 12:33 a.m.: A Mercy rig was called in by fire command for a firefighter, unknown injuries, now a second rig is called for a second patient, told to go Route 19 to Route 63, past the Pavilion Bank.

UPDATE 12:36 a.m.: All crew members are accounted for and out of the structure. They are trying to cool the attic in order to get a crew back up in there.

UPDATE 12:39 a.m.: The American Red Cross will likely be needed to respond, says the chief. Howard, at the scene, reports a small terrier-type of dog came running out of the house and was scooped up by a firefighter and handed over to its owner.

UPDATE 12:46 a.m.: The train company is contacted and asked to stop the trains scheduled to pass through on Hutchinson Street.

UPDATE 1:03 a.m.: The power company is there now and has shut off power to the house.

UPDATE 3:44 a.m.: Pavilion leaving the scene, all units back in service.

An electrical fire is reported in the basement of 160 Bank St., Batavia.

City fire is responding.

UPDATE 10:46 p.m.: City command reports smoke in the basement. No visible fire.

UPDATE 10:54 p.m.: National Grid requested to the scene to pull the meter.

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A grass fire off the eastbound Thruway is reported in the area by the State Street overpass. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 11:52 a.m.: A fireman at the scene says it's a controlled burn that's being tended to. It's "a bit smoky" but is not an impediment to traffic.

A possible house fire is reported at 3728 W. Main St. Road. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding along with Alexander's Fast Team.

UPDATE 8:28 p.m. Alexander is cancelled, along with East Pembroke fire.