Salamanca Fire Might Be Arson

Salamanca fire chiefs along with fire investigators from Montour Falls are still investigating the fire that destroyed the former Fancher Furniture building on Friday.

They have been questioning people but haven’t said if they’ve determined yet if vandals started the blaze accidentally, or if it was intentionally set.

The fire started at around 5:30 Friday afternoon. At just before 7 p.m. the entire south wall facing the railroad tracks collapsed. Firefighters say they didn’t declare the blaze under control until around midnight. Several firefighters were on the scene today as well.

Mayor Jeffrey Pond declared a state of emergency in the city at around 7:30 p.m. Friday because the fire left many residents without power or phone service, and because he didn’t know what kind of chemicals were still being stored in the building.

Philadelphia Furniture Manufacturing (formerly Fancher Furniture) closed late last year. The subsequent owners didn't pay their taxes, and the Seneca Nation bought the property for $62,000 in a city tax sale in December.

Comments

fierogt said…
there getting the rest of the building torn down. the fires were set by 5 youths, ages 12-13, four boys & a girl. fire was started with spray cans & lighters. charges will be filed against them. three buildings est. value over $250,000 destroyed or damaged.----#est. value may be under#
May 10, 2010 at 9:54 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Arrests in Operation Diamond Drop

Image
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, assisted by local police officers from across Erie County and the Pennsylvania State Police, are in the process of arresting 41 suspects linked to a nearly $5 million drug organization operating in and around Erie. Corbett said the nearly 2-year long grand jury investigation, known as “Operation Diamond Drop,” used court-ordered wiretaps, undercover surveillance and controlled drug purchases to identify large-scale cocaine and marijuana traffickers in the region. “Drug trafficking at this level is ‘big business’, including upper-level suppliers, mid-level distributers and street-level sales people,” Corbett said. “Our investigations focus on following the drugs and money to their source, allowing us to attack an entire drug distribution network when we make our arrests.” Corbett said the chief figure charged today is Miguel Angel Burgos, 31, 9891 Holly...
Read more

Cops: Man Had Sex with 13-Year-Old

Image
A Derrick City man is accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. 19-year-old Richie Cromley is charged with statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and criminal solicitation on a computer of a sex act with a child. He was sent to jail on $100,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947
Read more

Two Arrested on Drug Charges

Image
Two people were arrested on drug charges after state police got a report about unauthorized use of a vehicle. Troopers found the vehicle in Randolph on Wednesday and arrested the driver, 31-year-old Bridget Bardo of Conewango, for aggravated unlicensed operation and criminal possession of a controlled substance. She was released on her own recognizance and scheduled to appear in Town of Randolph Court. Her passenger, 28-year-old Andrew Jaquish of Salamanca, was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police also learned there was an active warrant against him from City of Jamestown Court. He was sent to Chautauqua County Jail on $1,000 bail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947
Read more