For the period of Friday January 30, 2009 to Thursday February 5, 2009 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 108 calls for assistance.
Friday January 30 – An automobile accident in the 5600 block of Niagara Falls Blvd resulted in a localized power failure and a disruption of phone service. At 7:34 AM what was reported as a multiple vehicle accident with wires down generated calls for assistance. Fire units arrived to find a vehicle into a power pole with obvious damage to both electrical lines as well as phone lines. While there were no significant injuries the area of the city around Hyde Park lost electric and phone service.
Sunday February 1 – Right around halftime of the big game fire units in LaSalle were alerted to a possible structure fire in the 9200 block of Cayuga Drive. Units arrived to find a home charged with smoke and initial reports indicated a fire in the kitchen. Firefighters found a relatively small fire involving the oven with some minor extension to nearby window treatments. Burning plastics produced large amounts of smoke but fortunately no damage to the structure.
Tuesday February 3 - A dangerous situation was averted late Tuesday morning. At 11:57 AM fire units from the downtown companies responded to the 700 block of Spruce Avenue for an unknown odor in a structure. Firefighters found a leaking propane cylinder in the building that was filling the building with the explosive gas. The cylinder was removed to the outside and the building was ventilated. Storing flammable compressed gas cylinder within the home is not only dangerous but may also be illegal. Had the leaking gas found a source of ignition a catastrophic explosion may have occurred.
Wednesday February 4 -An employee of a local service provider received a scare while doing an installation at a home in the 5600 block of Lindbergh Avenue. At 9:14 AM Central Alarm received a call that an employee doing work at a residence had struck an electrical line resulting in the home catching fire. By the time firefighters arrived the majority of the fire was out. Department members used Thermal Imaging Cameras to make sure that all signs of fire within the walls was extinguished. The worker was fortunate to have not sustained significant electrical burns. Damage to the home was minimal.
Thursday February 5 – At 8:21 flames broke out from a 2 story frame residence in the 400 block of 80th street. Firefighters arrived to find fire rapidly extending up the outside of the building with heavy smoke pushing from the roof and second story windows. Hoselines were rapidly deployed to confine the fire which had gained considerable hold of both the walls as well as the ceiling. Aggressive truck work in the form of pulling ceilings and opening walls allowed firefighters to locate hidden pockets of fire and complete extinguishment. The fire appeared to have originated in the area of the chimney and most likely smoldered for some time in the walls and ceiling. Damage estimates are being placed at 35,000 and the family will be displaced for some time.
The warmer weather will allow frozen pipes to thaw which may result in water leaks. This morning would be a good time to locate the main shut off within your home so that if a leak does develop damage can be minimized.
