For the period of June 13 to 19, the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 111 calls.
• FIRE: The 2700 block of McKoon Avenue was the scene of a structure fire that was reported just before 8:30 p.m. June 13. Calls began streaming in to central alarm reporting flames shooting from the front of the two-story frame dwelling. Engine Company 8 was over on Ninth Street familiarizing themselves with the recent construction at the old Unity Park site and was the first to arrive. The house, which is a gathering point for students attending Niagara University, was well-involved in fire and it was not known if all of the occupants were out of the building. Multiple hoselines were stretched into the building while members of Truck 1 began a search for any trapped occupants. Firefighters on the interior of the building encountered tremendous heat conditions and had significant challenges accessing the attic area of the home. Exterior ventilation through the removal of the windows eventually allowed firefighters to get into the upper levels of the home. Fire damage to the structure was extensive but no injuries were reported. The occupants of the home believed that they had left candles burning on the second floor when they left to go to the downtown area. Fire investigators confirmed that the second floor was the area of origin and that the cause was believed to be careless use of fire. Damage to the building and contents was estimated at $40,000.
• FIRE: An older model vehicle was completely destroyed in a suspicious fire in the 8200 block of Krull Parkway just after 11 p.m. Monday. Firefighters assigned to Engine 9, located just around the corner, arrived to find the interior of the vehicle well-involved in fire. Firefighters quickly deployed hoselines and were able to rapidly confine the fire to the interior of the automobile. Evidence obtained at the scene indicated that this was an intentionally set fire and it is currently under investigation by the Fire Prevention Bureau.
• FIRE: An office building located on Third Street was the scene of a late morning electrical fire Tuesday. Fire units were dispatched for a report of smoke in the building at 11:14 a.m. and arrived to find the building in the process of being evacuated. The fire was reported to be on an upper floor in some type of electrical closet. On reaching the reported fire floor, firefighters encountered a smoke condition and were quickly able to determine the source. Using portable extinguishers, firefighters were able to completely extinguish the blaze with minimal damage to the building. This fire is considered to be accidental in nature and damage estimates are undetermined at this time.
• FIRE: A total of 20 on-duty firefighters responded to an early morning structure fire in the 1600 block of Weston Avenue on Thursday. Fire units were dispatched at 5:12 a.m. and arrived to find the rear of a two-story wood frame structure well-involved in flames. Fire was rapidly extending up through the structure as firefighters fought their way into the building. Multiple hoselines were used to quell the flames in the vacant structure. The closest available fire hydrant was unusable and firefighters were forced to establish a water supply from a distant hydrant. Fire investigators found multiple points of origin and evidence of some type of flammable liquid and have classified this as an arson fire.
• NOTE: The school year is rapidly ending and many children will soon be home unsupervised. Please make sure that your children are familiar with the safe operation of cooking appliances and know how to call for emergency assistance. When leaving for work, parents are reminded to double check that all cooking appliances are off and that steps are taken to minimize household hazards. Residents with pools in their backyards are reminded that it only takes a split second for a toddler to wander off and fall in the water.
