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Image provided by: Walworth-Seely Public Library
Serving - Macedon - Gananda - Walworth - Palmyra - Marion - Ontario - Williamson Quick Response Saves Downtown Palmyra Smoldering cigarette believed to be the culprit \If the fire department hadn't responded so quickly, the whole down- town block would have been wiped out,\ said one bystander as the Palmyra Fire Department knocked down the fire at 312 Main Street in the Village. The fire, called in at 2:25 p.m. on Saturday, started in Apartment #3, the home of resident Charles (Chuck) Cook. Flames were shooting out of the second story building, owned by local business man James Merrick. Glass and old moldings began to pop to the street below from the intense heat. The building houses three other families. \They're all without homes now,\ said Merrick nervously, watching as the flames were brought under con- trol. The building also houses the long time, Main Street barber shop belong- ing to Thomas Degman: The shop received little damage. \I'll bet it was quite hot in there though,\ said Palm- yra Police officer Gil Sterk, who was the first to arrive at the scene. Degman was still in the shop as fire trucks arrived. \He said he didn't even know there was a fire,\ said Merrick. Luckily, no one was hurt in the blaze. Two people from one of the back apartments were evacuated. Police at first feared Cook may have been home in the two level apartment at the time. \I was just ready to tell the fire fighters he was unaccounted for when he came walking up to me,\ recalled Sterk. At first, fire fighters at the scene believed the fire was caused by a kero- sene heater left on in the apartment. -Sources later confirmed that the fire started in a couch and was perhaps started by a smoldering cigarette. \I'm just glad we had fire, alarms in the apartments and in the halls. The alarms, fire doors and fire walls really helped this from becoming ,a major blaze,\ said Merrick the next day. He said he could not estimate the loss, but said it would be in excess of $30,000. The Red Cross was called in to put the families up for the night at the Wayne Motel in Macedon. Merrick said that Cook's apartment is com- pletely gutted. Others received heavy smoke and water damage. None of the apartments are in livable condition, according to Merrick. Police reported that adjoining apart- ments had melted candles on their walls and that even with the fire walls, In this picture taken before firefighters arrived, the flames can be seen bursting out of the second story apartment. Four families were lefr homeless by the Saturday blaze. -- Residents formed lines to help save any animals at the Kritter Komer pet shop adjoining the burning apartment building. Luckily, firefighters contained the blaze. the next door wall at the Kritter Comer ment fire in the Village in just over a pet shop was \getting hot.\ week. The apartment at 111 Market Pet shop personnel and passerbys Street sustained damage when another. began evacuating some of the exotic smoldering cigarette in a couch ignited animals housed in the store. Police said on Saturday, January 25th. The apart- there was no damage to the store. ment was the home of Robert Hollen- A ferret in the apartment of Kelly beck. Sterk reported that 8 pet gerbils Mack was rescued by the fire fighters. in an upstairs apartment succumbed to The incident was the second apart- the smoke. Volume 8, Number 24 February 4,1997 In this issue ... Despite all the odds & hurdles, Milton Bradshaw k.ept on giving Senior Citizen Salute on page 5 The most serious health threat to women is ... . see page 4 Pal-Mac gym classes take to the snowy trails! story & pics on page 11 Area residents make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land see story on page 12 The Williamson Town board has a new member meeting story on page 3 The new Palmyra Post Office is first class all the way pictures on page 6 Save the date! The Times 8th Annual Ice Cream Social February 23, from 1-5pm.
