UPDATE: Here’s an official news release from the Bath Fire Department regarding Monday night’s fire:
At 9:02 PM on Monday, March 11th the Bath Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched for a possible structure fire at the former Babcock Ladder Factory currently owned by Clark’s Specialty Company reported by a passerby located at 36 Delaware Ave, in the Village of Bath. The Bath Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Bath Village Police were first on the scene and confirmed flames were through the roof. Bath Assistant Fire Chief David Dowdle arrived immediately afterward and called for a full second alarm assignment and minutes later called for a third alarm assignment with heavy fire and smoke conditions.
Fire Departments from all over Steuben County were called in to help fight this large fire. Bath VA, Hammondsport, Avoca, Kanona, Savona, Cohocton, Campbell, and Painted Post were called initially. About an hour later additional units from Wayland, Corning Joint Fire District, Prattsburgh and Forest View Gang Mills for additional manpower to relieve the firefighters that had been fighting the fire from the beginning. The New York State Police had to send units onto I-86 to keep traffic moving that was stopping along the highway to watch the fire, so an accident did not also hamper things and cause injury.
The fire was called under control at about 12:45 AM with many units still on scene at the time of this release to try to knock down some smaller fires. With the metal roof there will be many places that will remain smoldering through the night and for some time. No injuries have been reported. Currently the cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation by the Steuben County Fire Investigation Team.
Firefighters from at least a dozen departments battled a commercial building fire in the village of Bath Monday night.
The fire was called in just before nine o’clock at the Clark Speciality Company building that was formerly owned by the Babcock Ladder Company on Delaware Avenue. Details of the extent of damage sustained or the cause of the fire have yet to emerge.
State Police units were summoned to nearby Interstate 86 to restore traffic flow as cars had pulled over to watch the fire.
Fire companies that responded to the scene include Bath Fire, Bath VA, Hammondsport, Kanona, Savona, Campbell, Painted Post, Avoca, Prattsburgh, Canisteo, Gang Mills, Wayland, and the Corning Joint Fire District. The Penn Yan Fire Department responded to Hammondsport to provide coverage for the Southern Keuka Lake community.
