fire

Unidentified juveniles are being blamed for the fire that destroyed a portion of the Wiard Plow factory building on May 8.

Following a weeks-long investigation, Batavia Police detectives have concluded the fire was arson.

In a news release this morning, the department said numerous interviews of suspects and witnesses as well as electronic and physical evidence led to the identification of the suspects.

Because of their age, the case against the suspects will be referred to family court, where defendants names are kept confidential.

A car fire is reported at mile marker 400 in the eastbound lanes of the Thruway. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire department are responding.

Responders on scene report flames showing.

A barn fire billowing black smoke is reported at 6029 N. Byron Road. Byron Fire Department is responding along with Elba. Bergen is asked to stand by.

The address is between Shelt and Searls roads.

UPDATE 8:40 p.m. (by Howard): It's unclear what's going on. A chief sounds like he's told some units to stand down. Dispatchers have asked radio traffic be kept to a minimum because of multiple calls in progress, so there's little information clearly associated with this call available.

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: Law enforcement requested to the scene for alleged burning of illegal materials.

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A basement fire has been reported at 82 Gilbert St., Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire as well as Bergen's ladder truck have been dispatched.

UPDATE 5:19 p.m.: No flames, no smoke. It's an appliance malfunction. Bergen is being put back in service.

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A possible electrical fire is reported at 419 W. Main St. in the Batavia Commons. The store has been evacuated. Didn't catch the name of the store.

"It's an electrical outlet fire at the register up front," reports a firefighter.

City of Batavia Fire Department and Mercy EMS is responding.

A possible electrical fire in a home's basement has been reported at 8094 North Pembroke Road. Fire crews from East Pembroke and Alabama are responding.

UPDATE: Reader submitted photo.

A residential fire has been reported 5050 Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Batavia.

Batavia Fire and multiple other fire departments are being dispatched to the scene and for standby.

UPDATE 8:58 p.m.: Some fire units breaking down. The porta-pond is being broken down.

UPDATE 9:44 p.m.: Fire out. Town of Batavia Fire picking up.

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A caller reports seeing smoke in the area of Elm Street in the Village of Le Roy.

Le Roy Fire is being dispatched to investigate.

A chief on scene reports it's a small controlled burn that's spreading into some brush.

UPDATE 4:11 p.m.: Fire's out. Crew picking up hoses.

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Multiple grass fires were reported late this afternoon in the wooded area between the lake at Dewitt Park and Western New York Concrete, 638 E. Main St., Batavia.

The fires were spotted nearly simultaneously by a passerby and a State Trooper.

Town of Batavia Supervisor Greg Post was called to the scene by the passerby and Post said he counted at least 12 separate hot spots.

Officials suspect the fires were set intentionally. 

There was also a series of small fires near the railroad tracks in the area of Buell Street and Webster Avenue yesterday afternoon, which may also have been intentionally set.

The initial call for today's fire came in around 5:35 p.m. The largest of the first was contained some time after 6 p.m.

Three companies of city firefighters and Town of Batavia Fire were called to the scene.

(The Batavian's Initial Report)

More pictures after the jump:

A car is reportedly on fire in a field, well off the road, near Judge Road in Alabama.

A dispatcher reports, "nobody is around," and adds, "It appears to be a File 1." (anybody know what that means?)

Alabama Fire is responding.

UPDATE 7:41 p.m.: A chief in the area reports, "Nothing showing." Alabama vounteers are checking the area.

UPDATE 7:49 p.m.: The car has been located off Klossen Road.

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A large grass fire has been reported behind Western New York Concrete at 638 E. Main St., Batavia.

A State Trooper on scene says there are several small grass fires. "It was definitely started by somebody," he said.

City fire is responding, as well as city police.

UPDATE: 5:45 p.m. (Billie): The Second Platoon is handling the fire now. The First and Third platoons are requested to stand in at the main fire hall. It is reported that fire has spread eastward, nearing the sand wash.

UPDATE 5:53 p.m. (Billie): Now declaring a general alarm fire. Requesting a Town of Batavia grass/brush fire truck to the scene.

UPDATE 6:03 p.m. (Howard): The fire is now along the back of DeWitt Park. Flames are up to five-feet high. It is reported that at least 12 different fires were most likely intentionally set.

UPDATE 6:06 p.m. (Billie): Fire crews from the Town of Batavia are asked to stand-by at the town's fire headquarters.

UPDATE 6:55 p.m. (Howard): Left the fire scene about 6:30. Fire crews were checking for hot spots. Pictures to come in a separate post shortly.

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Following "an explosion," a fully involved vehicle fire is reported at Route 77 and the Thruway entrance.

The vehicle is off the roadway. It appears to be an ATV.

"I see black smoke from Indian Falls Road," says a firefighter.

Indian Falls and Pembroke fire departments are responding.

City Fire is being dispatched to 466 Ellicott St., Time Bomb Tattoo, for a car fire behind the building.

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A car fire, fully involved, has been reported at 6 Central Ave., Batavia.

City Fire responding.

UPDATE 6:57 p.m.: Fire's out.

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A dishwasher reportedly caught fire in a trailer at the West Bank Mobile Home Park in Alexander.

The address is 3189 Route 20, lot 11.

Town of Alexander Fire and the ladder truck from Town of Batavia is responding.

A caller states she believes the fire is out, but the trailer is full of smoke. The trailer has been evacuated.

UPDATE: Town of Batavia and an Alexander unit are being held in their fire halls while the location is checked with a thermal camera.

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A tree on fire in the Town of Covington, which is the Pavilion Fire District, has been reported at 709 Wyoming Road.

It's unclear how the tree caught on fire.

It's not threatening any structures.

Pavilion Fire is responding.

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Batavia Fire is being dispatched to 33 Swan St., the location of Saturday's Wiard Plow fire, after a caller reported seeing smoke coming from the rubble.

A first responder reports a mild scent of smoke.

Don't call it "arson" just yet.

Batavia Police Detective Kevin Czora said this afternoon that just because the state's fire dog, "Shadow," detected the scent of chemicals in the old Wiard Plow building on Tuesday doesn't mean an accelerant was used to ignite Saturday's big fire.

"You're talking about the floor of an old business that used many different kinds of chemicals," Czora said.

The investigation continues, Czora said, and detectives continue to question various individuals in an attempt to figure out if the fire was deliberately set, and if so by whom, or if not, exactly what caused the fire.

A key to answer the questions will be what the state's fire lab determines were the chemicals that caught the nose of "Shadow."

Redevelopment plans first published in 2005 for the area of Wiard Plow factory buildings show the section of buildings destroyed by fire being torn down.

However, when The Batavian spoke with Tom Mancuso of the Mancuso Business Development Group, Mancuso said the fire was a significant set back for redevelopment and the buildings destroyed were a key part of the project.

A reader pointed out this seeming contradiction, which we missed at first, so we got a message to Tom Mancuso -- who is traveling -- and Mancuso replied via e-mail:

Our current redevelopment plans for Swan had contemplated demolishing the street front buildings in order to create parking for the mixed use commercial/residential renovation of the 3 story building sections which have now been destroyed.

In view of this loss, we now need to evaluate the condition of the remaining structures, determine what will survive and decide what a feasible redevelopment of those sections might look like (and cost).

In a comment on our previous post, Tim Hens says:

The plan linked from the City Web Site is a "conceptual" plan from 2005. Things have changed in the redevelopment. I have been involved in the process and the Wiard Bldg was not one scheduled to be demolished.