For the period of Friday July 18, 2008 to Thursday July 31, 2008 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 246 calls for assistance.
Friday July 18 - At 5:53 PM fire units were dispatched for an alarm activation in a commercial building in the 700 block of Builders Way. On arrival firefighters were met by employees of the building who indicated that a large amount of water was flowing from the sprinkler system toward the rear of the store. Firefighters were able to quickly determine that there was in fact no fire but that somehow a sprinkler head had activated causing the water to cascade down on the nearby stock. Members of the NFFD located the sprinkler control valves and were able to shut off the system. Firefighters then assisted the staff with removal of the water and salvaging of the exposed stock. Early damage reports indicated that total dollar loss is in the area of $100,000
Friday July 18 – Firefighters were still on the scene of the incident on Builders Way when at 6:04 PM the phones in Central Alarm began ringing with callers reporting a vehicle fire extending to a house in the 1400 block of Wyoming Avenue. First arriving fire units confirmed that a mini van in the driveway was fully involved with flames impinging on the nearby wood frame structure. The police department kept the public far away as a series of explosions caused the fire to rapidly intensify causing nearby power lines to drop. Engine 3 deployed a hoseline into the front door of the building to control the spread of the fire on the interior of the building while subsequent arriving firefighters deployed additional hoselines to combat the vehicle fire. Since fire units were committed to the other incident, mutual aid from Niagara County was called both to the scene as well as to fill in vacant city fire stations. This fire appears to have originated in the motor compartment of the vehicle and spread not only to the nearby structure but the radiant heat caused damage to the adjacent property. The Red Cross assisted with providing temporary lodging for the displaced occupants and damage estimates have been placed at $25,000
Saturday July 19 – The busy night shift for Platoon Four continued when at 2:14 AM fire units were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with individuals trapped in the 1800 block of Hyde Park Blvd. Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to disentangle the two victims from the wrecked vehicle and both were transported by ground to the trauma center with possible life threatening injuries.
Sunday July 20 – Linwood Avenue was the scene of another fire that was reported at 12:18 PM. Members of the NFFD arrived to find smoke coming from the residential structure with a report of fire in the basement. Members of the Engine Company deployed a hoseline down the basement steps while the Truck Company members began ventilation efforts. The source of the fire was quickly located and was determined to have originated when the pilot light of the water heater ignited combustible liquids that were being used nearby.
Wednesday July 23 – Two individuals suffered minor injuries when yet another fire involving cooking broke out in the 1000 block of 9th Street. Damage was confined to a small area of the kitchen floor when grease on the stovetop ignited. While damage to the building was minor one of the injured parties sustained burns to an extremity that required hospitalization.
Saturday July 26 – Smoke filled the sky over the state park in the early evening as firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Goat Island at 7:14 PM. Twelve firefighters from the downtown stations arrived to find a tour bus fully involved in fire with the fire beginning to spread to other nearby vehicles. Fortunately for firefighters the buss was unoccupied at the time of the fire and their efforts could concentrate on extinguishment of the blazing vehicle. Parks police kept the crowd of tourist a safe distance as multiple hoselines were used to control the fire. The fire is believed to have started due to a mechanical failure and the bus was a total loss with damage exceeding $100,000.
Niagara Street was the location of another fire that was reported shortly after 11AM. Fire units arrived to find smoke coming from the structure with the occupant of a nearby building using a garden hose in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading to his property. Firefighters located an intentionally set fire in the basement and were able to quickly gain control with minimal damage to the nearby structure. Members of the Fire Prevention Bureau as well as Police Arson Investigators continue to investigate this fire and are searching for possible suspects.
Monday July 28 – Just after 10PM falls firefighters were requested to assist in the search for an individual who was reported to have gone into the Niagara River just above the falls. Members of Truck One joined the NYS Parks Police to investigate reports that a man was seen venturing into the river. Firefighters used the bright lights of the truck as well as flashlights to search along the shore for any signs that the reported victim may have become lodged along the shore or had somehow gotten to safety. After about an hour, the search was called off with no sign of the victim. State Parks Police were able to later determine that the initial report was a hoax and charges are pending against the individual.
Wednesday July 30 – The 500 block of 26th street was the location of yet another accident that required the use of the “Jaws of Life” to free the trapped victims. The initial contact between the two vehicles occurred at the intersection of Ferry and 26th and one vehicle continue north of 26th before striking a tree with the driver’s side of the vehicle. Firefighters were able to remove the passenger but the violent force of the impact caused the drivers door to be pushed into the passenger compartment a significant distance. This made the door impossible to open and forced firefighters to remove the door to gain access to the patient. Firefighters were then able to further assess the patient and the appropriate care could be rendered. Both victims complained of head, back, and next pains and were immobilized and secured to a backboard prior to transport to medical care facilities.
Thursday July 31 – At 1:59 PM a call was received at Central Alarm indicating a structure fire in the area of the 2400 block of Linwood Avenue. The on-duty Platoon Chief arrived in the area could not locate any sign of fire and was advised that the call came from a home on Cleveland Avenue with the caller saying that smoke was coming from the rear of the building. The Chief decided to look in the rear of the buildings and then discovered smoke and flames coming from the first floor of a frame dwelling. Firefighters arrived and forced entry into the front door and found the dining room on fire. Hoselines were deployed and the fire was quickly contained to the first floor. Evidence suggests that the fire was intentionally set to cover a burglary. Damage is estimated at $30,000.
In the last two weeks the Niagara Falls Fire Department has responded to a series of incidents that has resulted in excess of $350,000 worth of damage. While some of these incidents have been intentional, a large number are the result of accidents or mechanical failure. Please make sure that all of your appliances and motor powered equipment is in good mechanical condition and as a reminder that all homes should have at least one working smoke detector on each level.
