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Thread: Warehouse Fire Closes Niagara Street

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    Warehouse Fire Closes Niagara Street

    Warehouse Fire Closes Niagara Street
    Monday, June 2, 2008 11:08 AM - WBEN Newsroom

    Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Buffalo police are asking West Side residents to stay indoors with their windows closed, as a large two-alarm fire sent hazardous materials crews to a pool supply company on Niagara Street, and shut down several adjacent streets.

    The fire at Leisure Living Co. is in the former Curtis Screw facility at 1130 Niagara Street.

    At the height of the blaze, Niagara Street was closed between West Ferry Ave. and Albany Street. Smoke could be seen as far away as the intersection of Delaware and Hertel Ave, and near the Delaware S curves north of Gates Circle.

    There are no injuries reported, but damage is extensive.

    The entire building is on fire, according to an eyewitness caller to WBEN's Tom Bauerle show. Flames could be seen shooting out the building's windows, from a vantage point on the Thruway.




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    I can smell the smoke (chemicals) in the north-east part of the Town of Tonawanda.

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    Member run4it's Avatar
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    Is the closed doors/windows advisement for our are too Steven?
    But your being a dick
    ~Wnyresident

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    If you can smell the smoke, it would be a good idea to close up your house. Since you live so much closer than I do, I'm betting you can smell it.

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    It's funny how things have a way of working out when you wind up with surplus real estate.

    http://www.tonawanda-news.com/local/...111005421.html

    Published: April 20, 2008 12:54 am
    CITY OF TONAWANDA: Leisure Living buys the former Hy-Grade site
    By Dave Hill
    The Tonawanda News

    CITY OF TONAWANDA — A pool supplies company whose business is booming from Internet sales has purchased the former Hy-Grade Distributors property on Main Street in the City of Tonawanda.

    Buffalo-based Leisure Living, formerly called Island Pools, plans to renovate the 165,000-square-foot property for use as a warehouse for the company’s catalog and Internet orders. The company currently occupies an 82,000-square-foot warehouse on Niagara Street in Buffalo, next to the Rich Products Corporation, and also has a showroom on Grand Island.

    Richard Gerspach formed the company 50 years ago as a pool cleaning business, “and it’s just mushroomed,” said Jim Damp, the project manager hired to oversee the Hy-Grade site.

    “The company’s growing by leaps and bounds,” said Damp, who himself worked in the pool business for 37 years.

    When Richard Gerspach passed away in 2003, his son Paul J. became president and CEO. Island Pools acquired Leisure Living, a Pennsylvania-based Internet and catalog pool supply company, in 2001 and, because of Leisure Living’s immense success, Island Pools decided to change its name.

    Sales through the company’s Web site, www.poolsupplies.com, have increased dramatically, Damp said.

    Crews have already begun sprucing up the site, and Damp said a few motorists have stopped to see what’s going on. Hy-Grade Distributors vacated the property at Main and Wheeler streets in 2006 when the company became a division of Sysco Food Services of Jamestown.

    Since then, city officials had been hoping to find a buyer for the site, particularly because it serves as an entrance point to the city from the Town of Tonawanda. Mayor Ron Pilozzi worked with the town’s Empire Zone Administrative Board in November to gain Empire Zone designation for the site, which qualified it for state tax incentives that would make the property more lucrative to a potential buyer. Also in November, Pilozzi conducted a walk-through at the facility with a real estate agent and some potential buyers.

    Damp, the project manager, said it will be “a massive undertaking” to clean up the site, which is characterized by numerous broken windows, graffiti and a bumpy parking lot. But, he said, “Within a month, you’ll notice a heck of a big difference.” Steel siding and fresh paving are included in the plans.

    Fourth Ward Councilman Rick Davis said Leisure Living plans to create 150 seasonal jobs and 75 during off-peak months.

    “It’s great that we had this individual want to come invest in our city,” he said. “It’s wonderful. It’s going to be like night and day over there. This is the good news you love to hear.”
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    This fire has restarted. I believe it's a 3 alarm right now. I'm 4 blocks away and had to close my windows. My throat is burning and I'm coughing my head off. My whole house smells like smoke.

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    I was looking at their website just the other day because I need a new pool liner. I just took a look again and they have an announcement on their home page that says:

    "We have experienced a small warehouse fire, which may cause short delays in order processing."

    I'd say it's a LOT bigger than "small". I hope they had enough insurance to cover the loss.

    The Big Bang Theory: God Spoke and BANG! it happened.

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    Member run4it's Avatar
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    was this the cause of the heavy chlorine smell at Delaware Park today?
    But your being a dick
    ~Wnyresident

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    Quote Originally Posted by run4it
    was this the cause of the heavy chlorine smell at Delaware Park today?
    I was near Niagara about 3:30, and the whole neighborhood smelled like chlorine.
    I'm thinking that can't be all that safe to inhale.

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    As of now Buffalo Fire still on scene with active fire. Still a 3 alarm. Fire has moved to some exposures. I-190 is closed because they are afraid the building may collapse onto it.

    My advice is that if you can smell anything at all to keep all windows & doors closed. If it was me and I lived close to the fire I would probably go somewhere else to stay if I could. Just to be safe.

    My guess is that they will be there for a long time. They switched out crews already and called in extra help.
    Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you can do. Attitude determines how well you can do it. - Lou Holtz

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    Dang, I saw this from Marine Drive earlier today. We wondered what was going on.

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    Quote Originally Posted by FIRELADY
    As of now Buffalo Fire still on scene with active fire. Still a 3 alarm. Fire has moved to some exposures. I-190 is closed because they are afraid the building may collapse onto it.

    My advice is that if you can smell anything at all to keep all windows & doors closed. If it was me and I lived close to the fire I would probably go somewhere else to stay if I could. Just to be safe.

    My guess is that they will be there for a long time. They switched out crews already and called in extra help.
    Some North Buffalo crews headed down there just a short time ago. What is odd is that the smell is evident in the North Buffalo area when the wind blows, but my buddy who is on W. Ferry isn't smelling it. Must be the wind direction? Thanks for the update.
    P.S. My friend's health is somewhat precarious, should I worry about fumes?

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    Quote Originally Posted by wheresthesun
    .....P.S. My friend's health is somewhat precarious, should I worry about fumes?
    I'm no doctor but I'd be concerned if your friend has respiratory issues.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Surfing USA
    Warehouse Fire Closes Niagara Street
    Monday, June 2, 2008 11:08 AM - WBEN Newsroom

    Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Buffalo police are asking West Side residents to stay indoors with their windows closed, as a large two-alarm fire sent hazardous materials crews to a pool supply company on Niagara Street, and shut down several adjacent streets.

    The fire at Leisure Living Co. is in the former Curtis Screw facility at 1130 Niagara Street.

    At the height of the blaze, Niagara Street was closed between West Ferry Ave. and Albany Street. Smoke could be seen as far away as the intersection of Delaware and Hertel Ave, and near the Delaware S curves north of Gates Circle.

    There are no injuries reported, but damage is extensive.

    The entire building is on fire, according to an eyewitness caller to WBEN's Tom Bauerle show. Flames could be seen shooting out the building's windows, from a vantage point on the Thruway.



    Nice job on the pic's, surf!

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