Niagara Falls

Fire Department

Calls for service

For the period of June 5 to 11 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 113 calls.

• FIRE: Shortly after 7 p.m. June 6, the 600 block of 35th Street was rocked by a small explosion. A propane grill that was in use suddenly exploded, completely destroying the grill and starting a small propane-fed fire. The fire spread to the porch and siding of the home before it was brought under control by responding firefighters. Total damage was placed in excess of $5,000. Inspectors assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau have been in contact with the Consumer Products Safety Commission to determine if any similar situations involving this type of grill have occurred. Residents are reminded again that propane is a highly flammable and explosive gas, that being heavier then air, can accumulate in closed in spaces. Residents should always turn off the propane at the tank when the grill is not in use.

• FIRE: The east end of the city was the scene of another fire that was reported shortly before midnight June 6. Fire units responding to the 1900 block of Welch Avenue for the unknown type building fire arrived to find the nighttime sky full of fire. Units in a nearby alley found a small structure well-involved in fire and quickly began the task of attacking the fire. Damage estimates are undetermined in this fire that apparently started due to discarded barbecue coals.

• FIRE: An afternoon apartment fire sent firefighters responding to the 8500 block of Krull Parkway on Monday. A neighbor reported smoke coming from a nearby apartment and immediately called the fire department. Responding firefighters found a slight smoke condition and quickly gained access to the apartment. Once inside they discovered a pan that had been left unattended on the stove, which had not only ignited the stove but also nearby combustible material. The property was turned over to building management and actual fire damage was confined to the kitchen.

• FIRE: The midnight hour Tuesday found firefighters responding to the 400 block of 18th Street for a reported fire in a multi-family home. Firefighters arrived at the three-story frame dwelling and found light smoke inside and began the process of looking for the source of the fire. The original call was placed from a resident who lived on an upper floor who noticed smoke beginning to build up in the common hallway. Firefighters eventually determined the location of the fire was in the basement, where they found a pile of papers that had apparently been intentionally set on fire. The fire caused a minimum amount of damage and is currently under investigation by the Fire Prevention bureau.

• FIRE: Not long after returning from the 18th Street fire on Tuesday, Falls firefighters found themselves responding to the 400 block of Eighth Street for another working fire. At 5:25 a.m., units were dispatched for smoke in the area of Eighth Street and Ferry Avenue. Arriving firefighters found one-half of a duplex with heavy smoke coming from the second floor and began stretching hoselines into the structure. The suspicious fire was quickly brought under control and is under investigation.

• FIRE: At 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, a neighbor spotted a home on fire in the 1300 block of Elmwood Avenue and quickly alerted the sleeping occupants to evacuate. Responding firefighters were told there was a possibility some other occupants were still in the building. On arrival, firefighters were met with an aggressive fire rapidly spreading from the first floor to both the second floor ,as well as the attic. Multiple hoselines were deployed as firefighters simultaneously began a search of the building. No occupants were found, but the attic was now well-involved in fire and hoselines were now operating on all three floors of the building, as well as the exterior of the vinyl clad structure. It was determined that trash placed against the side of the building was set on fire and the result was a rapidly spreading fire that extended to the interior of the building. Investigators from the Fire Prevention Bureau, as well as arson detectives, are currently actively investigating this fire.

• ACCIDENT: LaSalle area fire companies were dispatched at 2:32 a.m. Thursday to the area of the I-190 and the LaSalle Expressway for a reported accident. On arrival, firefighters found a single vehicle that had left the roadway, overturned and came to rest down the ravine. Firefighters called for additional resources and began the process of stabilizing the overturned vehicle which was still occupied. Firefighters found one of the occupants actually underneath and pinned buy the overturned car. Using the “Jaws of Life,” firefighters were able to raise the vehicle off of the person and remove him. Initial reports indicated that a total of three occupants were in the vehicle and firefighters were only able to locate two people. Fearing that the other occupant was ejected during the roll-over, firefighters used a thermal imagining camera in an attempt to locate the unaccounted for individual. The individual was eventually located when they came walking back toward the accident scene. That person refused any medical treatment and the other two occupants were transported to the trauma center at ECMC.

• NOTE: With the summer almost officially here, firefighters find themselves responding to an increased number of incidents involving outdoor cooking. Please remember that charcoal briquettes can retain their heat for many hours (sometimes days) and should never be placed in plastic containers. Grilling should be done away from nearby combustibles and, as a reminder, children should be kept away from hot grills. Never retire for the evening with a hot grill being left unattended on a front or rear porch.