Three people were injured in a four-car accident at Daws Corners -- Route 98 and Batavia-Elba Townline Road -- this afternoon.

A westbound car reportedly pulled out from Batavia-Elba Townline Road and was struck by a car traveling southbound on Route 98. Each of those cars then hit two others at the intersection.

Joseph N. Mattison, 20, of Merriman Road, Byron, was cited for alleged failure to yield. Mattison, who was driving a 1994 Chevy sedan, was among the three people injured and transported to UMMC by ambulance.

Also injured were Bob K. Rathman, 39, of Heritage Estates, Albion, and Chrystal Bush, 17, who was a passenger in a car driven by Suanne Quackenbush, 49, of Gillett Road, Byron.

Quackenbush was not injured.

The fourth vehicle was driven by Benny S. Giambrone, 84, of Farnsworth Road, Oakfield.

The accident was investigated by Sgt. Thomas Sanfratello.

(Initial Report)

The Local Drug Enforcement Task Force raided the upper apartment at 110 Jackson St., Batavia, at around 6:15 p.m.

All we know at this point is that the raid was not the only one conducted in Genesee County today.

Investigators were still on scene about two hours later conducting a search of the apartment.

Above, Lt. Chris Bourke of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office and his K-9 "Cliff."

It doesn't happen often, but late this afternoon there was a shortage of in-service ambulances serving Genesee County.

All Mercy EMS units were tied up on accidents and medical calls, Le Roy, Byron and Oakfield were tied up, too, and crews in Bethany, Darien and Alexander were requested to respond to their respective fire halls to stand by in case needed.

At the time, there were no in-service ambulances within Batavia city limits. There were also no pending calls in the city at the time.

Within 30 minutes of the Bethany, Darien and Alexander crews being put on standby, three Mercy EMS units came in service.

"It doesn't happen a lot, but there is a system in place to protect the public," said Tim Yaeger, director of emergency management for Genesee County.

Yaeger explained that there is a tiered-response system with Mercy EMS, the respective Volunteer Fire departments' units and the medics with volunteer departments. The county also has mutual aide agreements with neighboring counties.

The volunteer departments can respond to other jurisdictions when the primary ambulance services are tied up.

There's been some talk, Yaeger said, of volunteer departments getting out of ambulance service because of the expense and the difficulty in keeping the services staffed with qualified volunteers.

"This is why we've got to do everything we can to keep those units in business, because they fill in during busy times," Yaeger said.

A petite foreign exchange student is reported missing and authorities are searching in and around Bowen Road in the Town of Alexander.

Didn't catch the host's address.

The person is described as 4' 7", 85 pounds, small frame.

Authorities are told to look in a nearby meadow also.

UPDATE (6:58 p.m.): Four searchers on ATVs are scouring the meadow near the residence in search of the person.

UPDATE (7:19 p.m.): Searchers planned on focusing on a trail running north/northwest of the meadow. They are bringing in a dog. However, now there's a report of a young, small female, with her hair in a ponytail and wearing a gray sweatshirt, spotted running on Route 238 (Attica Road) toward Attica. A caller said it appeared she had been running for some time. Also, she's reportedly adept at climbing trees, a skill which might prove handy if she was running away from danger.

UPDATE (7:36 p.m.) The female foreign exchange student has been located and she is safe.

A dog is reportedly stuck in a shallow well on property at 4213 Cookson Road in the Town of Alexander.

A woman who resides there called dispatch about the matter, saying the well is about five-feet deep. Not sure if it's the family pet.

Alexander Fire Department, presumably, is responding.

UPDATE (6:37 p.m.): Alexander Engine 107 is on scene.

UPDATE (6:42 p.m.): Alexander reports the rescue was successfully completed and the unit is back in service.

Fire crews and medics are busy this evening. So many calls, not always enough manpower.

Additional fire crews are asked to assemble in their quarters for Bethany, Alexander, the Village of Attica and Darien to be ready in case they are needed. Their other crews are all out on calls.

A two-car accident unknown injuries is reported at Route 5 and West Avenue in East Pembroke. One car is blocking the roadway.

East Pembroke Fire Department is responding and medics from Oakfield are en route in non-emergency mode. There are reportedly two minor injuries.

A four-vehicle accident, with one of them possibly on fire, is reported on Batavia-Elba Townline Road at the intersection of Route 98 (Daws Corners).

Two people are reportedly injured, one of them a woman who is seven-months pregnant.

Elba fire is responding along with Mercy EMS.

The accident is blocking the roadway.

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): Two women with minor injuries were taken to UMMC, including the pregnant female.

CLARIFICATION (6:10 p.m.): From reader Shannon Laurer: "Actually they took the pregnant female and two males to the hospital! She was a passenger in one vehicle, her mother the driver accompanied her and each of the two males was a driver in the other vehicles involved, the third male driver involved did not need medical assistance."

Thanks, Shannon. Most helpful!

A car accident is reported in the Town of Alabama at the intersection of Bloomingdale Avenue and Shanks Road. A passerby reportedly pushed the OnStar communications button in the vehicle, which alerted dispatch of the incident.

Alabama Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding. Alabama responders say it involves one car and is not blocking the roadway.

Fire personnel calls for Mercy EMS to continue to scene in non-emergency mode.

A 41-year-old Covington man already facing charges out of the Town of Batavia for allegedly trying to pass himself off as a federal law enforcement agent was arrested by Le Roy Police on Monday on a similar charge.

Nikko C. Gambino, of Morrow Road, Convington, was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and jailed on $750 on a charge of criminal impersonation, 2nd.

Gambino is accused of entering a Le Roy business some time in September allegedly dressed as a federal agent and directing an employee of that business to make a phone call under his pretend authority.

Three weeks ago, Gambino was arrested by the Sheriff's Office for allegedly attempting the same ruse in Walmart. A search of his residence reportedly found articles of clothing with law enforcement markings and a metal badge.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said it isn't really clear why Gambino has allegedly attempted to enter retail outlets and pass himself off as a federal agent.

"He's refusing to talk, but we we think it is some sort of diversion," Brewster said. "He wants to draw attention to himself while his accomplice attempts to steal something. We haven't been able to confirm that with surveillance tapes and nothing has been reported stolen. At this point, it's just a guess."

On the arrest out of the Town of Batavia, Gambino was charged with two counts of criminal impersonation, 2nd, and one count of falsely reporting an incident.

He was initially jailed on $5,000 bail.

Brett Myers Blair, 26, of South Lyon Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal trespass and petit larceny. Blair is accused of attemping to steal a 50" plasma television from Kmart. Blair was allegedly observed by Kmart personnel wandering around the back stock room of the store without authorization. (Initial Report)

Matthew S. Flannery, 20, of Lymn Road, Byron, is charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident. James C. Wilcox, 41, of South Lake Street, Bergen, is charged with obstructing governmental administration, 2nd. Flannery and Wilcox were arrested following an investigation into a property damage accident at 6:04 p.m., Sept. 25 in the area of 10 Munger St., Bergen. Wilcox is accused of interfering with Bergen Fire Department personnel prior to the arrival of law enforcement and helping Flannery allegedly flee the scene of the accident. Flannery's 2005 Saturn reportedly struck a utility pole. (Initial Report)

Barry Lamont Posey, 18, of Holland Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny.  Posey is accused of removing items from packaging and hiding the items on his body with the intent of leaving Target without paying for the merchandise.

Gordy Abiola Akinpeia, 18, of Lincoln Avenue, Brooklyn, is charged with petit larceny. Akinpeia is accused of stealing merchandise from Target.

Cassandra Kay Dembik, 18, of Pratt Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Dembik is accused of getting into a fight with another person at 3221 Pratt Road, Batavia, at 6:15 p.m., Monday.

Douglas D. Sprague, 19, of Bergen, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Sprague was arrested at 11:57 p.m., Sunday, by State Police in Bergen Park. The State Police blotter item lists the type of weapon only as "gun." No further details were released.

Today investigators are expected to return to the scene of last night's rooming house fire at 433 E. Main St., Batavia.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Eleven people lost their living space and all of their belongings in the fire.

The interior was completely gutted. On the west side, the second and third floors are completely gone.

Previous coverage:

• Rooming house on Main Street, Batavia, destroyed by late afternoon fire
• Fire at house on East Main Street in Batavia

A one-car rollover accident with entrapment has been reported on Bank Street Road just south of the five corners.

Mercy Flight is on standby.

Town of Batavia and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 9:06 a.m.: The driver, a GCC student, suffered only minor injuries if she was injured at all. After being freed from the wreckage, the young lady walked away from the accident. She was transported to UMMC by ground ambulance as a precaution. The preliminary cause is believed to be speed too fast for conditions. The road was wet and the driver, driving south, apparently lost control.

A smoke detector helped alert residents that a fire was smoldering inside a rooming house at 433 E. Main St., Batavia.

"My wife heard a beeping noise and she smelled smoke," said resident Joe Allegue. "We opened the door, we’re in apartment 11, and the black smoke just billowed right into the room and covered us."

Allegue said he started yelling, "Fire," and got his wife out then called 9-1-1.

The basement fire was reported to Genesee County Dispatch at 4:16 p.m., and the first city crews were on scene within minutes. Smoke was already billowing from the basement and working its way up to the second and third floors.

Firefighters faced some significant structural obstacles in fighting the fire, according to Chief James Maxwell, which eventually forced firefighters to withdraw from the interior of the complex.

"We made several attempts at the basement, but by that time, it was already on the first and second floors," Maxwell said. "The way the interior structure was portioned with the different apartments, we were just chasing it around from room to room. Eventually it got in the attic, so at that point, the safest option was to go to a defensive operation."

The city already had Ladder Truck 15 on scene, pouring water on the roof from the southwest corner of the building. Town of Batavia's Ladder Truck 25 was brought to the scene to attack the fire from the rear roof area.

According to tax records, the structure was built in 1950. That was near the end of the use of balloon-framing construction in the United States, according to Wikipedia.

In balloon framing, the walls of a building are continuously open from the basement to the attic, making it easier for a fire to climb quickly up the interior of the walls.

The building is a total loss. Fire crews were still on scene at midnight, with active firefighting lasting at least five hours.

At 11 p.m., investigators were calling for water to be pumped from the basement so they could begin the work of trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Eleven people living in eight boarding rooms and two apartments were displaced by the fire.

That's the hardest part said property owner Terry Platt. While the nature of insurance on this type of rental property means he may never fully recover the financial loss, it's sad, he said, seeing his tenants go through something like this.

"They’re the type of residents who really can’t afford the insurance to be able to cover all of their contents and of course they’re going to lose everything now," said Platt, who acquired the property in 1990. "That’s the worst part. It’s just sad. The rest of it is just a big headache, but it’s worse for all the tenants. They’re walking out with no shoes on their feet. It’s just sad to see that happen."

Platt said the loan on the property was nearly paid off and once it was, he was going to be able to invest in upgrades to the apartments.

Within hours of the fire being reported, Red Cross officials were beginning to assist residents in finding temporary housing, but Platt said there's a shortage of rooming houses available at the rate his tenants could afford to pay -- he was charging from $75 to $85 per week -- so finding long-term housing for many of the residents could prove difficult.

All 11 residents were safely accounted for within two hours of the fire being reported. At one point, one resident was thought to possibly still be in an apartment. The inset picture is of Platt trying to recall, so he could tell a firefighter, the best way to get to the apartment.

Doug Yeomans also submitted a series of photos from the fire.

Disclosure: Terry Platt is my landlord.

More pictures after the jump:

A fire is reported at a house at 433 E. Main St. in Batavia, between Harvester and Vine. City firefighters on scene say smoke is showing.

The fire is believed to have begun in the basement. Streets in the vicinity are being shut down to traffic.

Smoke rapidly began pouring from all three stories of the building soon after firefighters arrived.

UPDATE (5:07 p.m.): Until about 10 minutes ago, fire crews believed someone was still inside the building, now that is being re-evaluated.

The building is owned by Terry Platt of Platt Properties in Batavia. It is a rooming house with eight rooms and two apartments.

UPDATE (5:11 p.m.): No one was found inside during the initial search of the building. The landlord is providing the residents' names and contact information so fire personnel can account for all the occupants. Then the premises will be searched again.

UPDATE (5:26 p.m.): The fire is not yet under control. Smoke is still coming from the building. Elba Fire Department responded as mutual aid to the scene and Mercy EMS is also there. Oakfield Fire Department is asked to fill in at the station for the Town of Batavia, which also responded to the fire.

American Red Cross is called to stage at Wilson Farms on Main Street to provide aid to seven people. There seems to be some trouble getting water for one of the hoses.

UPDATE (5:49 p.m.): There is still fire on the first and second stories. All interior firefighters are ordered out and to muster in front for an accountability roll call. A cop on scene said they are going to "flood the building." All occupants are out and accounted for.

UPDATE (5:56 p.m.): Flames six feet high are now shooting out of the roof. National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE (6:05 p.m.): A plume of black and gray smoke is visible for at least a hundred feet above the house.

UPDATE 6:45 p.m. (by Howard) Town of Batavia's ladder, Engine 25, is on scene. It looks like the plan is to bring it around to the back of the house and pour as much water on the roof as possible. The construction of the house, built around the turn of the century or before, has "balloon" walls, making it possible for flames to shoot up from the basement all the way to the attic. Once the fire got into the walls, it became very difficult to fight from the inside.

11:04 p.m.:  City Engine 12 is back in service. Town of Batavia Engine 18 is back in service. Genesee County Emergency Management is going back in service. A pump has been requested in the basement to start pumping out water so that the investigation can be started.

11:17 p.m.: All Town of Batavia units back in service. City personnel who responded to the second and third alarms being released.

1:17 a.m.: Ladder 15 back in quarters.

Le Roy Police say a 37-year-old Leicester woman stole from her employer earlier this year by creating forged cash cards.

Deanna L. Leach, of 5576 Gibsonville Road, Leicester, faces 11 felony counts of forgery, 2nd.

Det. John Condidorio said Leach allegedly altered 11 cash cards worth $50 each while employed as a manager at the business. Leach reportedly failed to log the cards in order to cover up her alleged crime.

A man who reportedly tried to steal a television from Kmart has fled on foot and was last spotted running behind Jerry Arena's Pizzaria.

The subject is described as white male, wearing a brown and white hat, brown sweater and blue jeans.

The suspect fled Kmart, leaving the TV on Kmart's property.

Multiple law enforcement units are responding to the area.

UPDATE: Before we could even get this published, the suspect was caught on West Main Street.

An Attica man with two prior DWI convictions was allegedly found driving drunk with children in his car on East Main Street in Batavia last night.

Taken into custody on $25,000 bail and charged with a felony under Leandra's Law was 40-year-old Roland J. Reed, of Exchange Street, Attica.

Reed reportedly had a 2-year-old and an 8-month-old in the car when he was stopped at 11:24 p.m. in the area of 505 East Main St., Batavia, by Deputy Christopher Parker.

Besides a felony DWI and the Leandra's Law felony charge, Reed is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, unlawful possession of marijuana, unlicensed operation, moving from lane unsafely and refusal to take a breath test.

The children's mother was reportedly a passenger in the vehicle.