For the period of Friday February 13, 2009 to Thursday February 26, 2009 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 206 calls for assistance.
Friday February 13 – The first of a series of pedestrians struck by motor vehicles occurred in the 1000 block of Cedar Avenue just before 9:30 PM. On arrival fire department EMT’s found a victim in the street complaining of multiple injuries. Fearing that the victim may have sustained a neck and or back injury, firefighters immobilized that patient to a long backboard in preparation for transport to the hospital. The injuries to the victim did not appear to be life threatening and the NFPD conducted an investigation of the accident.
Saturday February 14 – Again firefighters found themselves responding to another vehicle versus pedestrian incident. At 3PM firefighters from the 72nd Street Station were alerted to an incident in the 6800 block of Niagara Falls Blvd. In this incident the victim sustained significant injuries to their lower extremities and once splinted and secured to a backboard, transported to a local trauma center with possible life threatening injuries.
Saturday February 14 – The 6200 block of Girard Avenue was the scene of a serious automobile fire that was reported at 9:55 PM. Fire units arrived to find the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Fortunately there were no other nearby structures or vehicle around for the fire to spread to and firefighters began the task of stretching hoselines to combat the blaze. The vehicle was a total loss and the fire is classified a suspicious.
Tuesday February 17 – An attempt to set and abandoned home in the 1400 block of Ferry Avenue was interrupted at 2:19 AM. The combination of a strange vehicle in the area and lights noticed in the building drew the attention of a nearby resident who alerted police. On arrival the police officers noticed the odor of gasoline in the area and determined that the individuals had spread gasoline throughout the home. Unfortunately there were no signs of the suspects. Fire units were called and determined that a significant hazard existed and began ventilation of the building. In order to prevent someone from gaining entry and igniting the residual gasoline, on- duty fire crews were rotated through on a stand-by basis until such time that a cleanup contractor could be secured. The contracted company had to remove carpeting, flooring, and wallboard which had been saturated with gasoline. By 2 PM the hazard was mitigated and the building was re-secured.
Sunday February 22 - The area of the I-190 and Lockport began to fill with smoke shortly before 3 PM. Fire dispatchers received additional information indicating that a large fire had broken out at a commercial business in the 5500 block of Lockport St. Fire units from the city as well as the county and found a large fire involving multiple vehicles. A water supply was established using a fire hydrant across Lockport while additional hoses were deployed to combat the fire. Specialized firefighting foam was utilized to control the fire that involved a variety of flammable liquids as well as other exotic material. Suspicious activity was noted in the area just before the fire erupted and law enforcement units were able to make an arrest related to the fire.
Monday February 23 – Late Monday evening a blaze broke out at a home in the500 block of Ferry Avenue. At 11:03 PM fire units were sent for a report of a fire in an upstairs bedroom and arrived to find smoke in the structure with an active fire upstairs. A water supply was established and the crew from Engine 4 advanced a hoseline to attack the fire. The blaze was quickly contained and extinguished with damage estimates placed at $5,000. One resident of the home was evaluated for smoke inhalation but refused transport to the hospital. The Red Cross was called in to assist the displaced occupants.
Tuesday February 24 – The first in a series of structures was reported at 2:20 AM. A neighbor who was alerted by a barking dog awoke to fine the structure next door to his home on fire. Fire units from Royal Avenue arrived on the scene and found a well involved fire in a wood frame structure with the fire impinging on the nearby structure. Protective hoselines were deployed to stop the spread of the fire to the uninvolved exposure while additional heavy caliber streams were placed to attack the main body of fire.
This building was the scene of previous vandalism and firefighters controlled the fire from a defensive position. This fire is classified a suspicious with damage losses placed at $20,000.
Tuesday February 24 – Just as some units were returning to quarters, another fire was dispatched for a building in the 300 block of 1st street. Fire units arrived on the scene shortly after 6:30 AM to find smoke in the large single story structure and traced the source to a light that was not installed correctly. Smoke filled the structure with a small amount of fire in the area of the light. The fire was easily extinguished but firefighters spent some time removing the smoke from the building.
Tuesday February 24 – At 8:03 AM fire units from Ontario Avenue were dispatched for a vehicle fire in the 1100 block of Garden Avenue. Engine 3 arrived to find a late model SUV with the interior well involved. A hoseline was stretched to extinguish the blaze which did not threaten any other vehicles or buildings. The owner of the building stated that a number of personal items were missing from the vehicle and it is believed that the fire may have been set to cover up the theft. The vehicle was a total loss with damage estimated at $6,000.
Tuesday February 24 – Platoon 2 units again found themselves responding to another structure fire when the phones lit up at Central Alarm at 9:15 PM. Fire units arrived in the 400 block of 8th Street to find heavy fire blowing from multiple windows of the large 3 story abandoned home with fire impinging on the neighboring buildings. Multiple hoselines were deployed to stop the spread of the fire to the other structures while other arriving fire units took lines into the fire building. With the exception of one Engine Company all on-duty city units were committed to this fire. Mutual aid units from Niagara County were brought in to the city to assist in providing coverage should additional emergency calls be received.
