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Car accident with injuries at Oak Street and Park Road in the city

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident with injuries is reported at Oak Street and Park Road in Batavia. It is blocking traffic.

City firefighters and Mercy EMS are responding. Law enforcement is on scene.

UPDATE 5:22 p.m.: Extrication is needed. A second ambulance from Oakfield is requested.

UPDATE 5:33 p.m.: The ambulance out of Oakfield is cancelled. A power pole is damaged.

UPDATE 5:35 p.m.: Law enforcement is shutting down traffic at Park Road and Veterans Memorial Drive.

UPDATE 5:54 p.m.: A 45-year-old female driver is being transported to UMMC with complaints of ankle pain.

UPDATE 5:57 p.m.: City fire is back in service.

Possible chimney fire reported on Pearl Street Road, Batavia

By Howard B. Owens

A possible chimney fire has been reported at 3491 Pearl Street, Town of Batavia.

Town of Batavia Fire Department responding.

UPDATE 8:20 a.m.: East Pembroke and Oakfield departments asked to standby in their halls. The fireplace has been cleaned out, according to a chief. Crews are rechecking the chimney. There appears to be no extension at the base.

UPDATE 9 a.m.: East Pembroke back in service.


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Motorhome fire reported in the area of Jackson and Ellicott

By Howard B. Owens

A motorhome is reportedly on fire and fully involved in the area of ABC Glass on Ellicott Street near Jackson Street.

City fire is on scene. A second alarm is being sounded for crews to stage at city fire headquarters.

UPDATE 6:12 p.m.: A caller reported seeing smoke around the U.S. Chrome facility, located at 31 Swan St., and city firefighters staged nearby. The caller, who also lives nearby, was interviewed but it was determined that the person saw residual smoke from the motorhome fire. City crews are back in service. The motorhome fire has been extinguished.

Big rig on fire on the westbound Thruway

By Billie Owens

A semi-truck is reportedly on fire at mile marker 377, east of the toll booths, on the westbound Thruway. The truck's cargo is unknown. The call came from the Thruway Authority. Le Roy Fire Department and Ambulance Service are responding.

UPDATE 9:37 a.m.: The Thruway Authority reports "the truck has moved on its way." The Le Roy assignment is back in service.

Smell of electrical burning reported at Dollar General

By Howard B. Owens

City Fire Department is responding to Dollar General at 577 East Main St., Batavia, for the report of the smell of electrical burning inside the store.

UPDATE 7:07 p.m.: City fire clearing the scene and responding to a medical call. Power has been shut off and maintenance called in.

Barn fire on Torrey Road in Bethany

By Billie Owens

A fully involved barn fire is reported at 5816 Torrey Road in the Town of Bethany. Bethany and Stafford fire departments are responding.

The location is between Clipnock and Little Canada roads.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m.: Attica, Alexander, South Byron are also called in, along with all equipment from Pavilion Fire Department. National Grid is called to the scene.

UPDATE 12:13 p.m.: York Fire Department is put on standby.

UPDATE 12:27 p.m.: The fill-in from York is cancelled. All units headed to the scene are told to come in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: The structure is actually a work shed. The homeowner was welding inside the shed when it caught fire.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: The fire is out.

Father saves baby son from smoke-filled room

By Howard B. Owens

A father saved his baby son today moments before the room where he was sleeping burst into flames.

Peter Dart was downstairs in a two-resident house at 7650 Macomber Road, Alabama, when he and his wife smelled smoke.

He rushed upstairs to his 13-month-old son's room. The room was filled with smoke, smoke so thick he couldn't see anything.

He had laid the toddler down for a nap just 30 minutes earlier.

Dart found the boy's crib just by memory, grabbed him, pulled him to his chest and rushed out of the house.

Investigators have determined the cause of the fire was related to an electric heater plugged into an extension cord.

The fire was reported by Dart's wife at 10:36 a.m. When the first firefighters arrived on scene from East Pembroke, the northwest corner of the 180-year-old house was fully engulfed in flames.

Lorna Klotzbach, a Town of Alabama Planning Board member, owned the house and lived in the other half.

The house sits in an area of Alabama without public water. Tankers were dispatched to the scene from 15 fire departments to draw water from creeks, ponds and the closest fire hydrant.

Many of the nearby ponds had frozen over in the past couple of days, making it harder to draw water from them, said East Pembroke Chief Don Newton.

"A good supply of water definitely would have helped," Newton said. "We ran out of water quite a few times. We did not have enough water to fight the fire to the best of our ability."

The entire second floor of the house was destroyed.

Newton said much of the first floor was saved, and the residents would be able to recover personal belongings from downstairs.

The wind and cold weather didn't help in fighting the fire, either, Newton said.

Dart's son was taken by private vehicle to UMMC and treated for smoke inhalation. Dart said he is doing fine.

At least four emergency responders suffered minor injuries related to the incident. One firefighter was transported to UMMC with a hand injury.

At least one of Klotzbach's three cats survived the fire and Lorna said her dogs escaped safely.

Responding to the scene, along with East Pembroke, were Alabama, Town of Batavia, Oakfield, Darien, City of Batavia's Fast Team, Pembroke, Indian Falls, Elba, Barre, East Shelby, Byron, South Byron, Alexander, Bergen, Attica, Wolcottsville, Mercy EMS and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

CORRECTION: We initially reported the child was a girl. That was based on what I thought for sure was the father saying "she" when I interviewed him. Even after reviewing the tape, that's what I thought I heard; however, there is some wind on the recording. Another, reliable source assures me the child is a boy. The story has been changed accordingly.

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Initial report posted here.

House ablaze on Macomber Road

By Billie Owens

A confirmed, working house fire is reported at 7650 Macomber Road in East Pembroke's fire district. All available manpower from that district is responding to the scene along with mutual aid from Alabama, Indian Falls, Elba, Pembroke, Corfu and Oakfield. The Town of Batavia Fast Team is also responding and another unit will fill in at the East Pembroke Fire Hall.

UPDATE 11:03 a.m.: Town of Batavia will switch from filling in at the East Pembroke hall and head straight to the fire. Alexander firefighters will fill in at East Pembroke. A firefighter upstairs reports near-zero visibility, which will "make the advance difficult...we're going to backdown the stairs until we can get the roof knocked out." Fire police are going to handle traffic control and "rubberneckers." ... Now all interior firefighters are ordered out of the structure.

UPDATE 11:08 a.m.: A tanker from Darien is called to the scene.

UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: An engine out of Stafford is called to the scene.

UPDATE 11:27: Shelby is called as mutual aid to fill in at Alabama's fire hall. Mercy medics have been on scene since shortly after the initial call went out.

UPDATE 11:34 a.m.: Akron is called as mutual aid to fill in at Pembroke.

UPDATE 11:44 a.m.: The house was built sometime in the 1830s. It belongs to Lorna Klotzbach, who is a member of the Town of Alabama Planning Board. Inmates from the Wyoming Correctional Facility will be transported to the site to help out. The fire departments in Wolcottsville and Barre are called to provide mutual aid.

UPDATE 11:55 a.m.: More help is coming from Byron, South Byron, Attica and East Shelby.

UPDATE 12:01 p.m.: The Ladies Auxiliary of the East Pembroke Fire District are called to provide refreshments at the scene.

UPDATE 12:46 p.m.: A person from the scene is being transported to UMMC. The patient is a man with an ankle injury.

UPDATE 1:08 p.m.: Shelby and Barre firefighters are released and will be returning home.

UPDATE 3:32 p.m.: Town of Batavia is the latest fire company, of a few of them, to go back in service.

UPDATE 4:25 p.m.: Ambulance requested to the scene for a person with a hand injury, requested transport to UMMC.

UPDATE 5:32 p.m.: Ambulance requested to the scene non-emergency for a person with a shoulder injury.

UPDATE 5:56 p.m.: Oakfield's tanker requested back to the scene, non-emergency.

UPDATE 6:25 p.m.: All units, back in service.

Shed fire reported at residence on Bank Street Road

By Howard B. Owens

A shed fire is reported at 7786 Bank St. Road.

A chief on scene reported a full involved fire in a 10x10 shed about 15 feet from a house.

Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:01 p.m.: The fire is burning itself out and the house is not threatened. Engines can continue response non-emergency.


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Limo fire on West Main Street Road, Batavia

By Billie Owens

A limo is reported to be on fire at Mancuso Limosines, located at 3959 W. Main St. Road in the Town of Batavia. The limo is at the shop behind the residence. A responder on scene initially reported "nothing showing." But then a limo was found to be on fire inside a structure. "The occupant thinks he's got most of it." He's using a garden hose. Town of Batavia Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: The fire is out. Units are continuing to the scene is non-emergency mode and they are going to check "to be sure there is no extension (of the fire) in the vehicle."

UPDATE 1:54 p.m.: A thermal-imaging camera is called for.

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.: Town of Batavia Fire Department is back in service.

Possible chimney fire on Myrtle Street, Le Roy

By Billie Owens

A possible chimney fire is reported at 87 Myrtle St. in the Village of Le Roy. A neighbor who called it in says there's a lot of smoke showing in the area. Le Roy Fire Department along with Bergen's are responding.

UPDATE 12:47 p.m.: The chief on scene calls for units to continue in. "It appears he did have a small fire going. He's got the bottom shut off now," says the chief, adding they will still need to take a look inside to determine the status.

UPDATE 12:52 p.m.: No signs of heat are found in the basement using a thermal-imaging camera. Ditto for the walls and floors of the residence. Now they will get on the roof and look into the chimney using the camera to check for heat.

UPDATE 1:10 p.m.: A firefighter reports there is no heat to the touch on the outside of the chimney up to the roofline. There is light smoke still coming from the chimney.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: A code enforcement officer is called to the scene.

UPDATE 1:24 p.m.: "Fire is out. Units are picking up and they'll be going shortly."

Pole afire at Route 33 and Maple Avenue, Bergen

By Billie Owens

A utility pole is reportedly on fire on the northeast corner of Route 33 and Maple Avenue. Bergen Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: "National Grid has been notified and will be sending someone out."

Genesee County firefighters head to blaze in Wyoming County

By Billie Owens

A structure fire at 2460 Orangeville Center Road in Wyoming County is prompting a mutual aid response from Genesee County volunteer firefighters. Darien is sending a tanker and an engine to fill in at Attica's fire hall, which is going to the scene. Alexander is sending a unit to fill in at Darien's fire hall.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: Alexander is back in quarters.

UPDATE 12:52 p.m.: Darien is in quarters, in service.

Fire in field on Gorton Road, Alabama

By Billie Owens

An unknown type of fire is reported in a field on Gorton Road, just north of Ledge Road. Alabama Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 3:33 p.m.: Firefighters on scene report this appears to be a controlled burn.

UPDATE 3:34 p.m.: Alabama fire crew is returning, in service.

Wire down and reportedly on fire on Clipknock Road, Bethany

By Howard B. Owens

A wire is reportedly down and on fire in the area 9309 Clipknock Road, Bethany.

Bethany Stafford Fire Department dispatched.

UPDATE  8:38 p.m.: National Grid contacted, no ETA given.

UPDATE 8:42 p.m.: National Grid reports 252 customers without power. ETA for restoration is 11:15 p.m.

UPDATE 9:05 p.m.: National Grid on location. Stafford fire back in service.


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Possible chimney fire reported on Pike Road, Alexander

By Howard B. Owens

A possible chimney fire is reported at 2991 Pike Road, Alexander.

Fire units dispatched from Alexander, Town of Batavia and East Pembroke.

UPDATE 6:07 p.m.: I wasn't able to follow the conclusion of this call, but units went back in service shortly after the alarm went out.


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Possible chimney fire on Town Line Road in Bergen

By Billie Owens

A possible chimney fire is reported at a residence on Town Line Road in Bergen. It is between Jericho and Pocock roads. All Bergen fire equipment is called to the scene along with mutual aid from Le Roy.

UPDATE 12:18 p.m.: "There doesn't seem to be anything significant here," says the chief, and Le Roy can stand by. This incident stems from the "malfunction of a heating device. No extension into the residence," says the chief.

UPDATE 12:23 p.m.: Traffic is going to be shut completely down on Town Line Road between Jericho and Pocock roads.

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.: Bergen is back in service. So is Le Roy.

Big rig full of hay on fire on the Thruway

By Billie Owens

A tractor-trailer hauling a full load of hay is reportedly on fire in the eastbound lanes of the Thruway at mile marker 392.

Firefighters from the Town of Batavia are responding. The fire chief on scene reports smoke coming from the rear axel and says the trailer is disconnected from the cab.

UPDATE 11:11 a.m.: The fire has "not reached the payload," according to the chief. Water to cool the axel down is needed. "That's one thing I don't have on my (county) work truck," says a responder. The chief says "I got you covered."

Small RV fire reported on South Main Street

By Howard B. Owens

City of Batavia responded to a small fire in an RV this morning at 86 S. Main St., Batavia.

The RV was parked near a structure, but was put out quickly.

Ladder 15 and Engine 12 were back in service by 7:45 a.m.

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