NEWS

IN WEST SENECA FIRE DISTRICT 2

May 07, 2009

 

 

Sawdust Ignites, Fire Spreads to Structure

            Union Fire Company along with mutual aid departments, Vigilant and East Seneca responded to alarm activation Thursday May 07, 2009 at the VIR Sharpening Services on North America Drive.

Arriving units would discover no smoke inside the VIR facility but smoke emitting from an adjoining business, Iroquois Fence, along with charring to one side of the structure. Investigation by firefighters unveiled a pile of sawdust and ignited on the floor near other combustibles, the fire though easily extinguished by firefighters, potently could have spread if gone unnoticed.

Lumber and other combustible materials near where the fire originated were an initial concern for firefighters, a vehicle also located near the fire, was removed from the building by Acting Assistant Chief Joseph Kazmierski of Union Fire Company.

The Iroquois Fence building did not have a working alarm system in place at the time the fire started, smoke from the burning sawdust traveled along the common ceiling into the VIR facility setting of that alarm and alerting firefighters.

Union Fire Chief Gary “Taz” Mack assumed North America Command reporting the fire had spread to interior wall structure prior to being extinguished. Additional equipment was requested from Winchester and Doyle 1 of Cheektowaga.

Media/Photos - Listen to audio, and view photos from the fire courtesy Erie County Fire Wire:

Union (51 North America Dr) 5/7/09