For the period of Friday May 15, 2009 to Thursday May 21, 2009 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 131 calls for assistance.
Friday May 15 - The 1000 block of Portage Road was the location of a motor vehicle versus bicyclist accident that occurred at 6:25 PM. Two vehicles collided with one of the vehicles continuing on to strike the cyclist. Firefighters arrived on the scene and stabilized the vehicles and began assessing the injuries. A total of 5 people complained of minor injuries with the bicyclist being the only party that required transportation to a medical facility.
Friday May 15 - Shortly after 11PM firefighters from the 10th Street station were alerted to respond to a medical emergency at a commercial establishment in the 500 block of Rainbow Blvd. On arrival firefighters found an unresponsive female in cardiac arrest. CPR had already been initiated by an employee and firefighters continued resuscitative efforts while simultaneously hooking the patient to the portable defibrillator. Rural Metro arrived on the scene and the patient was transported to a local hospital.
Sunday May 17 – Once again unattended cooking was the cause of a fire in a home in the 1300 block of Garden Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the frame dwelling and immediately detected the distinctive odor of “food on the stove” after insuring that the main body of fire was out, firefighters began the process of opening up void spaces to ensure complete extinguishment. This accidental fire caused and estimated $1000 damage to the home.
Tuesday May 19 – The afternoon sky filled with smoke in the 7900 block of Lindbergh Ave as Central Alarm dispatched LaSalle companies for a reported automobile fire. Units arrived on the scene to find a 1985 Chevy Camero well involved in fire. Firefighters quickly deployed hoselines to douse the flames that were rapidly consuming the car. Despite the best efforts of the firefighters the vehicle was declared a total loss. The exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation by staff assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Wednesday May 20 – A home in the 1100 block of 27th Street sustained an estimated $2,500 in damage when an outside rubbish fire spread to the dwelling. Firefighters arrived just before 1 AM to find fire rapidly spreading up the exterior of the home from a fire that originally started in combustible material on the outside. The fire was fueled by the vinyl siding on the home that produced copious amounts of thick black smoke. Firefighters deployed hoselines to extinguish the fire while additional teams of firefighters made sure that the fire and not extended to the interior of the home. This fire is also under investigation by staff of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Wednesday May 20 – Less then 48 hours after being recognized by the city for her actions during a fire that occurred in April, a resident again assisted in limiting the amount damage caused by another fire. At 11 AM the resident heard the familiar sound of a smoke detector sounding in a nearby unit in Center Court. On investigation the resident found a small fire in the kitchen of the unit. Using her personal portable fire extinguisher the resident was able to extinguish the fire prior to any significant damage occurring. This fire was also due to unattended cooking.
Thursday May 21 – A vacant abandoned derelict building was the scene of a third arson fire that was reported at 5:04 AM. A total of 23 firefighters responded to the all too familiar building in the 400 block of Niagara Street. On arrival firefighters found dense smoke filling the street which made it difficult to determine which building was actually on fire. Hoselines were stretched by the Engine Company while members assigned to the Truck began removing the plywood from the windows and doors. This particular building was the location of a least two other arson fires which resulted in numerous holes in the floors and ceiling. Firefighters were very cautious as the moved in to extinguish the blaze which involved a rear room of the building. It was determined that someone intentionally ignited combustible material just inside the building. Inspectors from the city’s Building and Inspections Department have determined that the structure is unstable and have ordered it demolished.
The City of Niagara Falls has a large population of squirrels that are literally eating anything in their quest for food. The fire department was recently made aware of a resident who came home to find their backyard propane grill had been leaking filling the air with the flammable gas. Further investigation determined that the supply line from the tank to the burner had a series of holes in it causing the gas to escape. Close examination revealed tooth marks from a small animal which had chewed through the line. Apparently a small drop of grease on the hose attracted the squirrel to “chew” on the supply hose resulting in the free flow of gas to the atmosphere. Fortunately the resident noticed the problem and was able to shut off the tank prior to the gas finding an ignition source. It is always a good idea to shut off the propane tank when the grill is not in use. While this may not prevent the squirrels from chewing through the hose it will eliminate the possibility of the gas being ignited.
