Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

City firefighters are on the scene of a blaze in the South Avenue area. Elm Street is closed from Congress to South Avenue, and South is closed in the Elm Street area. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford City Fire Chief Chris Angell has retired, and assistant chief Rich Zmuda is now in charge of the department. Although no official announcement was made, the fire department’s pension board met before last night’s City Council meeting and voted unanimously to award Angell his pension. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A fire early Saturday morning damaged a home at 43 Clinton Street in Bradford. City fire department Lt. Greg Lewis says the blaze started at a first floor gas furnace, and then spread. Damage is estimated at $85,000. A state police fire marshal has been called in to investigate. Tenants Melissa Hinchman and Adam Priest were able to get out safely. They are being assisted by the Red Cross. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

City firefighters spent about an hour and a half at a North Center Street home early this morning trying to find – and then put out – a fire that was filling up the building with smoke. Lt. Greg Lewis tells WESB that even thermal imaging cameras couldn’t find the heat source because it wasn’t enough to show up. It was, however, big enough to fill up the first and second floors with smoke which “started to push out the peak of the structure,” Lewis said. Firefighters opened several walls in the house to try to find the fire, but couldn’t. Lewis said it was frustrating because the house was filling up with smoke, and they could smell burning wood, but they couldn’t find the source. But when smoke started pouring out the back of the house, they used a chainsaw to cut an opening a found that some faulty wires had caught some wood on fire. They used a water can to put out the fire, and a pressure fan to blow out the smoke. Lewis says the fire damage was very minimal, but they told t...

People have been sharing on our Facebook page about what they were doing on this day 13 years ago. Ellen Bunnell of Bradford had relatives both in New York City and near Shanksville. One of her sons was on an ambulance crew in New York. Another son’s fiancé was a nurse in Johnstown, and was placed on a medical crew to head for Shanksville. If you would like to share your stories and memories you can go to facebook.com/1490wesb . On this day St. Bonaventure University remembers its three alumni who were killed that day. Among those was Father Mychael Judge, the first official emergency responder fatality. Then-New York City Mayor Rudy Gulliani said of him, "He embodied the ideal blend of spirituality and public service." A memorial service was held on campus at noon. In Bradford, city firefighters placed a memorial outside the Central fire station on Chestnut Street. In Shanksville, ceremonies were held at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Pictured, top, St. Bonaventure ...

UPDATE (Friday morning): The fire is being considered suspicious, and Agosti says they are still investigating. City Fire Department Assistant Chief Rich Zmuda tells WESB that firefighters and four state police fire marshals -- three from PA and one from NY -- left the scene of the South Avenue fire at about 9 p.m. The cause is still under investigation and he expects PSP Cpl. Greg Agosti to issue a news release either later tonight or tomorrow. The New York fire marshal was called in because he has a fire-investigating dog whose services were needed. More than 40 firefighters from the city, Bradford Township and Derrick City battled the blaze at 103 South Avenue, starting at about 7:45 a.m. Neighbors heard an explosion shortly before that. The fire spread to 105 South Avenue, where it melted the siding and did other damage. No one was hurt. We'll pass along more information when we get it.

The house a convicted felon was accused of trying to have burned downed two years ago was destroyed by fire this morning, and the house next door was heavily damaged as well. The blaze at 103 South Avenue was reported at about 7:50 a.m. after several neighbors heard an explosion. The house is owned by Tracy Panighetti and 56-year-old Edward Panighetti Sr., who was sentenced last year to six to 16 years in state prison for a number of convictions. Two years ago he was charged with several arson-related offenses, but all but one of those was dismissed. One of the charges that was dismissed dealt with Panighetti allegedly hiring someone to set a fire at 103 South Avenue. As for today’s fire, people on Elm Street said they heard an explosion and thought someone in the Congress Street area had dropped a piece of heavy equipment, but then went outside and realized it was a fire. He said by the time he got to the corner of Elm and South Avenue flames were already shooting through the r...

UPDATE: Vapor build up in an old crude oil tank caused the tank to explode when it was being cut open this morning at Goodman’s Recycling on High Street, according to Bradford City Fire Department Assistant Chief Rich Zmuda and State Police Fire Marshal Greg Agosti. The injured person, 52-year-old Thomas Rounsville of Bradford, was treated at BRMC and then released. ~~~ One person was hurt when a tank exploded at Goodman’s Recycling on High Street at around 11:20 this morning. Bradford City Fire Department Assistant Chief Rich Zmuda tells WESB when they arrived a large tank was in the middle of the yard and it was apparent it had exploded. Injuries to the person involved were reported as minor, and he was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center for treatment, but Zmuda said he couldn’t say anything else because of HIPPA regulations. Zmuda says a state fire marshal will be on the scene this afternoon and more information will be available late this afternoon. The explosion w...

A domestic incident led to a fire that injured two people Tuesday night in Bradford. City firefighters say the fire at 253 Congress Street was contained to the second floor bedroom, where it started when a juvenile set a mattress on fire. The homeowner, James Gould, was taken to BRMC for treatment of smoke inhalation and singed hair. His wife Karen suffered an ankle injury and was also taken to BRMC. The juvenile was taken into custody. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The City of Bradford has an assistant fire chief for the first time in 20 years. Rich Zmuda was appointed to the post during tonight’s city council meeting. Prior to voting on the move Councilman Rhett Kennedy, who oversees the fire department, explained that the position has always been on the books, but hasn’t been filled since 1994. Kennedy said utilizing the position again will improve management of the fire department, although he said there's nothing wrong with the current management. He added that it will make the department even better. In other fire department matters, council approved an $11,270 payment to Witmer Public Safety Group for a thermal imaging camera and a $2,352 payment to Churchville Fire Equipment Corp. for fire hose and couplings. Fire Chief Chris Angell pointed out that the money for the purchases is part of a state grant. Also, council authorized a change order with Bob Cummins Construction for the Congress Street Streetscape Improvement Project. Dur...

A pickup truck crash on Route 59 in Corydon Township Thursday morning sent a Warren man to the hospital. Police say 23-year-old Joseph Madigan was about 400 feet west of Klondike Road when the truck went out of control and off the road, where it crossed a driveway, side-swiped a tree, hit numerous small trees, and then a large tree and rolled onto its roof. Madigan said he wasn’t hurt but after being checked by Lafayette Township EMS personnel was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt, and he may have had a head injury. Madigan was charged with driving on roadways not laned for traffic and cited for not wearing a seat belt. State police were assisted on the scene by Corydon Township Fire & Rescue, Lafayette Township Fire & Rescue, Bradford City Ambulance and Fox and Sons Excavating. Photo from Lafayette Township VFD The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by Bradford City Firefighters Local 655 will be held at Callahan Park Saturday April 19 starting at 11 a.m. Rain or shine. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The City Code Enforcement Office shut down an East Main Street business after a faulty wood stove caught on fire this morning. City Fire Department Captain Matt Rettger tells WESB In and Out Tire was burning “trash and debris” in the wood stove. He added that some of it was construction debris including particle board, paneling and furniture. He says the business will be closed until code enforcement deems it safe to reopen. The fire was reported at 11:20 a.m. Rettger says firefighters were on the scene for about an hour “making sure the building wasn’t on fire.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Fire damaged a house at 4 Osborne Place this morning, but no one was hurt. City Fire Department Captain Matt Rettger tells WESB they got the call at 8:18 a.m. He says the first fire hydrant they went to was frozen, but they were able to operate with water from their tank and it didn’t hinder the battling of the blaze at all. “It didn’t change the outcome,” he said, adding that damage is estimated at $20,000. They don’t know the cause of the blaze yet, but are going back to the scene this afternoon and may have a determination later today. The house is owned by Neil Reynolds. The occupant, Vincent Reynolds, was home at the time but was able to get out safely. Sixteen Bradford firefighters were on the scene until 10:40 a.m. Six Bradford Township firefighters were also on the scene. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Police say a Bradford man has confessed to setting two fires on December 17 and is charged in connection to two more fires last month. 21-year-old Harvey Rose, who is also facing charges after his two-week-old baby was burned by bath water earlier this month, told police he started fires at 8 Thompson Avenue and 10 Congress Place, according to papers filed in District Judge Dominic Cercone’s office. Rose is also accused of setting a fire at 125 West Washington Street on January 8 because he was upset with a resident he says owed him money and wanted to scare her. Surveillance video from Oxley’s Service Center captured Rose riding a bicycle to and from the scene. He is also charged in connection to a fire at an apartment building at 338 East Main Street on January 11. 25-year-old Jeremiah Smith of Bradford is also charged in connection to that fire. Smith and Rose each told police that the other man started the fire. Surveillance video from the nearby Kwik Fill gas station shows the...

City of Bradford Firefighters said goodbye to their fellow firefighter Scott Plowman this morning. Scott lost his battle with cancer on January 22. He had been a Bradford City Firefighter and Local 655 member since March 2008. Firefighters from across the region participated in procession to honor Plowman. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Henry Scott Plowman, 44, of 172 Elm St., Bradford, passed away Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Born February 17, 1969, in Greensburg, he was a son of the late Henry John Plowman and Linda R. (Stough) Plowman, who survives. He attended Derry Schools and completed his professional firefighter training at the Firefighter Academy in Maryland in 1992. He worked in Bladensburg, Montgomery County, and Rockville Fire Department in MD. He was a paid firefighter for companies in South Conway, SC and Washington, DC for ten years with Engine Companies 1, 16, and 32, and was a first responder at the 911 attack on the Pentagon. He worked for a private fire fighting firm in Iraq for a year and then for the City of Bradford Fire Department for the last five years. He was a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Derry, the Derry Rod and Gun Club, the Eagle's Club in Bradford and the VFW in Austin. He was an avid gardener with awesome gardens. He...

It's official: The owner of Kabob Kafe in Ellicottville is buying The Option House. Bradford City Council approved a $50,000 loan on Tuesday that completes the funding package he needed to buy the Main Street building from Sam Sylvester. Other money is coming from the McKean County Redevelopment Office and The North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission. Owner Sheikh Iqbal is also investing $40,000 of his own money. Debbie Huston of the Office of Economic and Community Development says the outstanding job Sylvester did in renovating the building is what attracted him to The Option House. In a news release, Huston added that Sylvester is pleased that Iqbal has decided to bring his highly popular restaurant to Bradford's Main Street as "he is a widely experienced restaurateur and caterer." She adds that over the past few months Sylvester and "Icky" -- as Iqbal likes to be called -- have developed a close personal and business relationship. Sh...

The former Bradford paramedic accused of stealing drugs from the fire department’s ambulance service and altering paperwork to cover it up was scheduled to be in McKean County Court this morning for his Last Day to Plea, but that’s been moved to January 2. 32-year-old Brandon Landuyt is accused of taking morphine and fentanyl from vials in a storage locker and putting saline in the vials to make them look full. The charges were filed in July. He was fired from the fire department in August. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford City Council last night approved on first reading the millage ordinance, which keeps the millage rate at 16 and means no tax increase. Mayor Tom Riel says although he had hoped to be able to lower taxes, keeping the rate steady is quite an accomplishment. City Clerk John Peterson gives much of the credit for the no-tax-increase budget to the department heads being realistic in their requests and keeping a close watch on their budgets during the year. You can listen to the entire meeting here . Among the other topics covered are the demolition of more plighted properties, bid openings for fire station renovations and the 2014 wage ordinance. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947