SINCLAIRVILLE, NY – A vacant Sinclairville house was leveled during a fire early Friday morning.
The Sinclairville Fire Department, along with mutual aid agencies, were dispatched to the area of 5395 Route 380 around 5:30 a.m. for a reported structure fire.
When tankers arrived on scene, they discovered the structure fully engulfed by fire.
“There was at least one explosion early on, I assumed to be a propane tank,” said Sinclairville Assistant Fire Chief Chris Roll.
Due to the structure’s age and dilapidated condition, first responders had a pre-planned response strategy already in place.
“The structure was very old, it has deteriorated somewhat, there was a large quantity of vehicles and other material around the structure, to us, it represented a known hazard,” explained Assistant Chief Roll. “Plans were made ahead of time, that we would fight this fire defensively from the road until we were absolutely sure that it was safe to venture closer.”
Throughout the day Friday, first responders will continue to monitor the scene for hotspots.
“Firefighting consists of hot, hard, messy, dirty work, and now it's a matter of tearing the lumber apart, pulling everything back, spraying water on every little nook and cranny until we have the fire completely extinguished,” said Assistant Chief Roll. “This is the hard part, this is where the hard work comes in.”
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. The Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team is working to determine the fire’s cause and origin.
The Sinclairville Fire Department was assisted by Fluvanna FD, Cassadaga FD, Gerry FD, Ellery Center FD, Stockton FD, Chautauqua County’s Emergency Services and Department of Public Facilities.
