Alarms of Interest

1929 - 1930 to 1939 - 1940 to 1949 - 1950 to 1959 - 1960 to 1969 - 1970 to 1979 - 1980 to 1989 - 1990 to 1999 - 2000 to 2005

1929

9/1/29- Kellogg Estate on Lake Shore Rd is our first fire on record.

1930 to 1939

5/22/31- The original St. Vincent's Church, located in front of where the Southtowns Catholic Day Care Center is now located, is destroyed by fire.
1936- Hazard's Mill was destroyed by fire. The Hazard family was alerted of fire by a passing train who blew whistle to awake family.
7/8/37- The North Evans Railroad Station is destroyed by fire.

1940 to 1949

1/22/40- Highland Lodge Hotel on Old Lake Shore Rd is destroyed by fire, damage estimated at $ 35,000.
11/19/40- Athol Springs Lumber Yard Fire, mutual aid to Lakeview.
1/3/42- Lakeview calls for help, we cannot get our equipment through blinding snowstorm.
1943- The month of April was a terrible month for fires as two houses and a barn were destroyed. Also two fires at the church parsonage. All occurring in separate incidents. One of the houses destroyed takes the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Chet Harris on 4/28/43. The house was located on the flats on Versailles at Eighteen Mile Creek. These are the first known deaths since the fire company and district became organized.

1950 to 1959

11/18/54- Bixby Mansion Fire on Old Lakeshore Rd. The twenty room house is destroyed. It is stated that, " this is the worst fire in the district since the Hazard's Mill fire in 1936" by Chief Dominic Mecca.
3/1/55- Eighteen Mile Creek unleashes a devastating flood. Residents are rescued from their homes on Versailles Rd. at the bridge. The water rises to the sills of first floor windows. The water has never been recorded to be this high.

Here you can see the severity of the flood in this newspaper clipping from 1955.

2/2/56- A tractor trailer and car collide almost head-on on Rte. 20 bridge. Both vehicles catch fire and are destroyed. The drivers of both vehicles escape relatively unharmed.
9/6/56- Barn fire on Sturgeon Pt. Rd near Route 20. Barn is destroyed in general alarm fire at Mroz farm.

Picture taken at the Mroz Farm Fire. Shown are North Evans Chief George Jones(left) and Dominic Mecca,(right) North Evans District Chief. Mecca is the father of current Assistant Chief Mark Mecca and North Evans District Chief Nick Mecca.

5/6 through 5/7/57- Evans school # 6 on Black Rd. at South Creek Rd. is destroyed by the Lakeshore Arsonist.
4/22/59- Four brush fires in one day.

1960 to 1969

3/8/64- Bardo's house on Sturgeon Pt. Rd. . General alarm fire . A 32-year old female suffers smoke inhalation. This is the third fire to strike this house in five year.
4/12/64- Six brush fires in one day.
9/18 through 9/20/66- Brush fire burns for three days on Gian property between the railroad tracks, Overhead Rd and Derby Rd. The fire burned in the peat underground and was very difficult to extinguish.
4/18/68- Rumsey Estate mansion fire (where the Bluffs now are). Highland almost has the fire knocked down but ran out of tank water. The building then becomes well involved and the slate tile begins to loosen and slide off the roof like guillotines.
12/9/69- The Wagon Wheel Restaurant burns on Rte. 5.
1969- Two major fires strike two days apart outside our District. One at Ehmke's Lumber yard in Angola on 8/1/69 and one at a large barn on Gold St. in Evan's Center on 8/2/69.
7/21/69- Kelm's historic landmark blacksmith shop on Depot St. was destroyed by a suspicious fire.

1970 to 1979

4/19/70- Four brush fires in one day.
7/16/70- A car traveling at a high rate of speed lost control on Versailles Rd. near Overhead Rd, striking a tree and exploded. The two male occupants were seriously burned.
10/13/70- A mattress fire in a cabin behind Alma's Truck Stop on Rte. 20 badly burns a woman. She does eventually recover.
1/21/71- House fire at the Leroy Kobel home on Versailles Rd between South Creek Rd and the Creek. It was 10 degrees below zero and the owners were away on vacation. The 3 1/2 story home was destroyed when the hose lines froze. Angola's aerial was utilized in this fire.
1/15/73- A minor fire on Hamilton Drive kills woman when her clothing catches fire while smoking in her chair. The victim's husband attempts to smother the fire with a rubber-backed throw rug. She died at the scene.
8/15/73- Barn fire on Sturgeon Pt. Rd. near Rte. 20. The barn contained over twenty bales of hay and burned for days after the barn was destroyed.
1/25/74- Accident on Rte. 20 at Townline Rd. when a man drives his car head-on into a tractor trailer in a suicide attempt. He was successful.
10/31/74- Halloween day, eleven arsons are set.
1976- Major ice storm. 87 hours with no power. We responded to many calls, including, wires down, pump details and structure fire. 3-2-76 to 3-6-76.
1/29/77 - 1/31/77- Blizzard of '77. We housed numerous stranded motorists at the hall. We also made several medicine runs and prepared food via four-wheel vehicles and snowmobiles. We stood by for three days.
10/25/78- Cutter's Inn Tavern on Rte. 20 near Versailles Rd., Mutual aid to Evans Center. Both the husband and wife died in fire.
10/31/79- Halloween Night- Thirteen Arsons are set. We are also called to assist police to ascertain whereabouts of two homicide victims. Their truck was found on an access road off Burns Rd. Later that night, both victims were found off of Delameter Rd. between Rte. 5 and Old Lakeshore Rd.

1980 to 1989

1/81- Train derailment on tracks at Eden Evans Center Rd. Propane tankers involved, all fire companies are rotated and stand-by for three days as it is cleaned up.
12/28/82- The vacant Sturgeon Pt. Hotel is accidentally set on fire by kids. The 3 1/2 story wooden frame was totally arrived on arrival. The fire was so hit that it blistered the paint on Evans Center new engine which was parked fairly far away. The fire was fought with five engines.
2/5/83- The "Wood World" building was heavily charged upon our arrival. It flashed over when we attempted to enter the building. Several firefighters were knocked to the ground uninjured. It was 15 below zero outside. This same building was seriously damaged in the 1950's when it was Wilson Electric.
3/20/84- Two houses are destroyed on Edgewood Drive at Schuyler Drive. A two-story house was set on fire with gasoline. The fire was fully involved and quickly spread to an adjacent house, severely damaging it.
11/4/87- House fire at 7794 Decker Rd. Fire spreads throughout 2 1/2 story farm house. Six fire companies fight fire.
12/18/87- 6786 Lake Shore Drive.- A 5-car garage and six vehicles are destroyed. A relief valve on a 100 # propane tank stored inside vents through the roof. Fire engines use over 3,000 feet of hose.
1/30/88- Accident on Route 20 near Versailles. A car flips over and at a speed of over 90 MPH. Three of the four occupants are ejected. Two suffer fatal injuries.
7/5 through 7/13/88- A fire burned in the woods behind where Burger King and Eckerd Drugs are now located. It burns in the peat underground for eight days. Hundreds of man hours were spent trying to extinguish the fire. Numerous brush fires are handled by North Evans and Highland Hose during the summer as we are in the midst of a drought with numerous days over 90.
10/5/88- House fire at 1648 Overhead Drive. Firefighter John Cala rescues a man. The fire started on the first floor and spread to the second.
12/23/88- House fire at 6986 Schuyler Dr. The wind whipped fire was blowing out first floor windows. Entry could not be accomplished. The house was packed with newspapers, clothing and other combustibles. One male died in the fire.
3/24/89- 7378 Townline Rd.- One large barn, one small barn and a step van are destroyed. Two deck guns from four engines and three tankers are used. The nearby farm house is saved.
4/9/89- 6968 Versailles Rd. at South Creek. A fully-involved barn extends into a 2 1/2 story house, while also seriously damaging the roof and siding of another nearby house.

1990 to 1999

1/19/90- Fire at our hall!! Gasoline was poured on the stairway in the store room. Fire damaged the stairway and the rear wall of the bingo hall. Smoke damage is very heavy to the hall.
12/23/92- Accident on Rte. 20 at Versailles Rd. Two victims suffer fatal injuries in the head-on collision. One of the vehicles speedometers is frozen at 75MPH.
1/19/94- The 3 story former Red and White store on Sturgeon Pt. Rd. and Depot Street is destroyed . When the alarm went off at 1:50 pm, the temperature was 10 below zero, the coldest day in 63 years. The building is a total loss and collapses outward. Senior members of the company state that it was the worst fire since the 1970 Koebel fire. Five of our members were treated for exposure. Seven fire companies responded to the scene to relieve us. Our last unit cleared the scene over ten hours later.
9/15/95- Chateau Estates, 7000 Erie Rd. Upon arrival, the fire was through the roof of an eight-family apartment building. Fire engines lay over 1800 feet of 4" hose and an aerial are used on the fire. The roof collapsed on the second floor. Four apartments were totally destroyed


Here is the fire in its early stage.	As it progressed, it engulfed more apartments

Here it has almost totally gutted the building. At this point the building was a total loss.	All of the occupants escaped safely.

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7/4 through 7/5/95- Flexovit USA in Evans Center, general alarm fire. This was the largest, costliest and most dangerous fire ever in Evans. Twenty-eight fire companies fought the fire all night. The plants manufacturing operation was destroyed.
11/23/95- Two house fires within 10 hours. Larkin Rd. and and Revere Dr. The Larkin Rd. was set by an arsonist. The Revere fire was accidental. Both houses were destroyed.
11/18/96- South Towns Christian Church on Lakeview Rd. burns. Heavy fire is through the roof upon arrival. The school, television station and offices are destroyed, but the church is saved.
4/6/97- A brush fire on Eden Evans Ctr. Rd. Seven fire companies assist Evans Center with a fire that spread out in all directions between the thruway, the interchange and Eden Evans Center Rd.
1/17/99- House fire, 833 Sturgeon Pt Rd. Fatal fire kills teenager who is sleeping over house.
1/23/99 through 1/24/99- Ice Jams flood Big Sister Creek and floods Rte. 5, North Main Street and Bennett Rds in Evans Center. We handle 12 alarms.
1/19/99- 6657 Erie Rd. Whiteside Court, 4 unit apartment building. One apartment is totally involved on first floor. Five children suffer smoke inhalation.

2000 - 2005

9/23/2000- Floods, over 2.25" of rain fell in 24 hours. We handle 13 alarms.
4/15/2003- Brush fires!!! We respond to three brush fires in a matter of hours.. One on Versailles Rd involves the enbankments along 18-mile creek and involves 1/2 acre of homeowner property. The second involves privately-owned land and is extinguished quickly. The third fire is a large brush fire, involving 60 acres. We are called as a mutual aid company to Eden along with 7 other companies. The fire started as a result of a structure fire started by a homeowner who was burning rubbish. The fire started his garage on fire which subsequently started the large brush fire. Pictures of fire below...


Here is North Evans 1 along with North Evans 10. We are obtaining water from Eden's tanker to fight the fire. In the foreground, you can see some of the scorched earth.	Here is another view where you can clearly see the devastation of the brush fire that burned over 60 acres

6/25/03- Head-on accident. Accident at high rate of speed. Three injuries, one serious. Accident was a mutual-aid call to Evans Center on Route 20 near Gowans Rd.


View one shows the westbound vehicle destroyed and emergency personnel nearby.	View two shows the eastbound vehicle.

8/10/03- An accident at South Creek and Versailles Rd. Merely a few feet from our hall, a serious accident sent three people to the hospital injuries. One seriously with a back injury.

Accident at the corner of Versailles and South Creek Rd. This intersection has been the scene of a few accidents in the past.

8/18/03- A Garbage truck rollover. Refuse truck lost power on Delameter Rd and flipped on its side when it veered into ditch. Driver was not injured seriously. North Evans and Highland responded along with Erie County Hazmat teams as a precaution.

The Garbage truck rolled over on its right side when it hit the ditch. North Evans 7 and 10 are in the backround.

9/3/03- A cement mixer made an ill-advised trip down South Creek Rd and became wedged under the railroad bridge, snarling traffic on this fairly busy road to route 20.

This cement mixer never had a chance. North Evans 7 and 1 shut down the road as it took crews some time to clear the mishap.