| Multiple Brush Fires Ignited by Passing Train |
On September 7th at 3:43pm, the Oaks Corners Fire Dept. was dispatched to the railroad crossing on Cuddeback
Road in the Town of Phelps for a report of a brush fire along the railroad tracks. Assistant Chief Maney called
enroute to the scene within couple of minutes. While enroute to the call, he observed a large quantity of smoke
coming from the railroad crossing on Rt. 318, which is 3 miles south of the original call. Asst. Chief Maney had the
911 Center place the Phelps Fire Dept. on stand-by in their station for a possible move up to the scene.
Upon proceeding to the original call, Asst. Chief Maney observed several fires burning along the railroad tracks
along the entire stretch of railway. The Ontario County 911 Center had also received (9) 911 calls reporting fires.
Upon arriving at the scene on Cuddeback Road, he observed 5-6 brush fires visible from the Cuddeback Road
crossing. He then requested the Phelps Fire Dept. to respond to the Rt. 318 incident, and he had the Oaks
Corners equipment respond to Cuddeback Road. Asst. Chief Maney suspected at least a dozen fires were
burning, and returned to the Rt. 318 crossing to set up a command post and staging area. This location was
selected due to the ample room for parking, and because it was centrally located.
Throughout the incident resources from the following agencies were requested to Staging, and eventually
deployed into the field...
Oaks Corners FD: Engine, Tanker/Pumper, Rescue, Special Operations Unit
Phelps FD: Brush Truck, Tanker, John Deere Gator
Geneva FD: Mini-Pumper
Northsde FD: Tanker/Pumper, Tanker, Rescue
Junius FD: Tanker
Lyons FD: Mini-Pumper
Clifton Springs FD: Brush truck, Rescue
Waterloo FD: Brush Truck
Phelps Ambulance: Ambulance
North Seneca Ambulance: ALS Ambulance
The Border City FD provided stand-by coverage for the Oaks Corners Fire District. Assistance on scene was also
provided by Seneca County Emergency Manager Charles McCann, L.J. Drake from the New York State Office of
Fire Prevention & Control, and Mark Dersham from the Norfolk/Southern Railroad.
All OCFD apparatus responded with a crew of 18 under Asst. Chief Maney.
The post-fire investigation found 22 seperate fires were ignited over a 5 mile stretch.
The Oaks Corners Fire Department is working with representatives from Finger Lakes Railways to try to prevent
fires like this in the future.
Road in the Town of Phelps for a report of a brush fire along the railroad tracks. Assistant Chief Maney called
enroute to the scene within couple of minutes. While enroute to the call, he observed a large quantity of smoke
coming from the railroad crossing on Rt. 318, which is 3 miles south of the original call. Asst. Chief Maney had the
911 Center place the Phelps Fire Dept. on stand-by in their station for a possible move up to the scene.
Upon proceeding to the original call, Asst. Chief Maney observed several fires burning along the railroad tracks
along the entire stretch of railway. The Ontario County 911 Center had also received (9) 911 calls reporting fires.
Upon arriving at the scene on Cuddeback Road, he observed 5-6 brush fires visible from the Cuddeback Road
crossing. He then requested the Phelps Fire Dept. to respond to the Rt. 318 incident, and he had the Oaks
Corners equipment respond to Cuddeback Road. Asst. Chief Maney suspected at least a dozen fires were
burning, and returned to the Rt. 318 crossing to set up a command post and staging area. This location was
selected due to the ample room for parking, and because it was centrally located.
Throughout the incident resources from the following agencies were requested to Staging, and eventually
deployed into the field...
Oaks Corners FD: Engine, Tanker/Pumper, Rescue, Special Operations Unit
Phelps FD: Brush Truck, Tanker, John Deere Gator
Geneva FD: Mini-Pumper
Northsde FD: Tanker/Pumper, Tanker, Rescue
Junius FD: Tanker
Lyons FD: Mini-Pumper
Clifton Springs FD: Brush truck, Rescue
Waterloo FD: Brush Truck
Phelps Ambulance: Ambulance
North Seneca Ambulance: ALS Ambulance
The Border City FD provided stand-by coverage for the Oaks Corners Fire District. Assistance on scene was also
provided by Seneca County Emergency Manager Charles McCann, L.J. Drake from the New York State Office of
Fire Prevention & Control, and Mark Dersham from the Norfolk/Southern Railroad.
All OCFD apparatus responded with a crew of 18 under Asst. Chief Maney.
The post-fire investigation found 22 seperate fires were ignited over a 5 mile stretch.
The Oaks Corners Fire Department is working with representatives from Finger Lakes Railways to try to prevent
fires like this in the future.
| Click on the pics for a bigger view |
The Oaks Corners Fire Dept. would like to thank the following photographers for contributing pictures for
this story...
Rick Maney: OCFD Staff Photographer
Rick Rhinehart: Geneva Fire Department
James Bator: Hopewell Fire Department & Ontario Fire Wire
this story...
Rick Maney: OCFD Staff Photographer
Rick Rhinehart: Geneva Fire Department
James Bator: Hopewell Fire Department & Ontario Fire Wire