A "NO SMOKING" sign is visible on a wall inside an Exhange Street building where LFD officials say an ashtray may have been the culprit for a Saturday afternoon fire that caused $100,000 in damage. (HEATHER GRIMMER / ENP PHOTOGRAPHER)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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The damage inside 7 Exchange St. was extensive.

A press release from the Lockport Fire Department says a Saturday fire at 7 Exchange Street appears to have been started by "the improper disposal of the contents of an ashtray may have contributed to starting this fire."

The fire, which caused as much as $100,000 damage, started shortly before 4 p.m. and was marked as "complete" at 8:12 p.m., according to the LFD release.

The release notes that 22 fire department personnel reported to the scene including six who were on duty at the time, 14 who were called in to fight the blaze, MTO/Safety Officer Luca Quagliano and Chief Pat Brady. Engines 7 and 8 originally responded with Truck 9 being called to the scene by responding crews. Of the $431,183 in assessed property value, the release says LFD saved $331,183 in value.

The narrative of the LFD release follows in its entirety:

Lockport Fire Dept. equipment and personnel were dispatched for a fire in a large commercial (91,000 sq ft.) structure located at the corner of Market St. and Exchange St. This building houses several different business including the 247 Art Center and is owned by Heather Grimmer. The Fourth Platoon under the direction of Assistant Chief Joseph Morello went to the scene with Engine -8 responding from Fire Headquarters while Engine -7,  returning back to Fire Headquarters after just completing another call, responded immediately to the scene.

The  Engine -7 crew noted a large volume of smoke emanating from this very large commercial structure as they proceeded down Market St and determined that the smoke was issuing from the part of the building that houses World Automotive, an auto parts distribution store.  A second alarm was requested to supplement man power at the scene and to provide the needed staffing at Fire Headquarters to answer any other requests for service during this incident. South Lockport and Wrights Corners Volunteer Fire Companies were also requested to stand by in their respective fire halls in case additional manpower or equipment was needed from these agencies.

The Engine-7 crew led by Captain Joseph Prica made immediate entry through the locked door at that business and extinguished the bulk of the fire that was consuming the area immediately adjacent to the large overhead garage door that is used for deliveries. The fire that had been burning behind this garage door had also communicated to the exterior of the building. Crews had to expend considerable time and effort in checking to make sure that no fire had travelled into the exterior or into the roof of the building. Chief Building Inspector Jason Dool was also called to scene to the scene to assist in checking the buildings structural integrity.

This fire was extinguished with 3400 gallons of water and 7.2 gallons of Class A foam. Damage to the structure itself is estimated at $50,000.00 with the contents of the structure also estimated to be $50,000.00. A rapid response and extremely quick knockdown of the fire kept this incident from escalating into a large multi agency event.

The cause of this fire is still under investigation by LFD fire investigators, but it appears that the improper disposal of the contents of an ashtray may have contributed to starting this fire. 

DISCLAIMER: Heather Grimmer is owner of East Niagara Post as well as ART247. 

RELATED LINKS: 

• More photos of the fire and aftermath are available here
• Fire damages Exchange Street business

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PHOTO: Heather Grimmer

Lockport city firefighters were busy this evening fighting a second blaze, just minutes after wrapping up their first structure fire of the day.

The fire department was called to 415 Washburn St. at 8:36 p.m. for a structure fire. Three trucks arrived on scene to fight the fire, which fully engulfed the city home. 

With South Lockport Vol. Fire Co. on standby for the second time today, crews worked to extinguish the flames.

At publication time, crews were still on scene fighting back the fire. 

A fire earlier did heavy damage to 7 Exchange Street. Crews worked to extinguish that until approximately 8 p.m., just before suiting up again to fight the Washburn Street blaze.

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An afternoon fire caused heavy damage to World Discount Auto Parts, 7 Exchange St.

The fire, which was called into Lockport Fire Department at approximately 4:01 p.m. took 14 firefighters over four hours to extinguish. It reportedly started in the front portion of the building and climbed through the roof of the auto parts store. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation according to LFD. 

The building was cordoned off by LFD and labeled unusable until repairs could be made, by Lockport Building Inspector Jason Dool. It's unknown how long repairs might take or the cost of repairing the damage. There was no smoke or fire damage inside the art studios at 247 Market Street.

Market Street was closed between Union and Chapel Streets while firefighters battled the blaze.

7 Exchange Street is part of the ART247 complex, owned by ENP owner/publisher Heather Grimmer, who was on scene speaking with fire officials and Dool. 

Grimmer closed the art studios for the evening to ensure the safety of the rest of the complex's 30-plus tenants. ART247 is slated to reopen at 9 a.m. Sunday.

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Lockport Fire Department trucks will be on hand for tours Sunday at the  department's second-annual community appreciation picnic at Altro Park. (ENP FILE PHOTO)

Lockport firefighters will host their second-annual community appreciation picnic from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Altro Park.

Activities for the day will include tours of the fire safety trailer and fire truck, firefighter obstacle course and an inflatable slide. Complimentary food and drink will be provided.

All members of the community are welcome to attend. Donations for Operation Warm will be accepted.

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Lockport Firefighters and the Lockport Fire Department will host a department open house from 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

Activities will include an auto extrication demo, obstacle course, fire prevention trailer and department and equipment tours. This is a family-oriented event and children of all ages are welcome. The open house will also have complimentary popcorn and balloons.

In addition to the open house activities, Lockport Firefighters will be kicking off their Operation Warm campaign. The mission of Operation Warm is to provide brand new coats to children living in need – positively impacting their school attendance, self-esteem, overall health and well-being. Firefighters will begin accepting donations toward the purchase of coats for local children on Sunday.

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I felt the need to write this letter after the last Fire Board meeting.

At the Fire Board meeting, Assistant Chief Michael Seeloff submitted a letter signed by the fire department’s officers. The officers wanted to go on record as being opposed to the manning reduction and to notify the Fire Board that in their professional opinion we are operating at unsafe levels.

I take exception to Commissioner Robinson’s reaction to Assistant Chief Seeloff’s letter and the statements he made regarding our staffing. Commissioner Robinson had two primary reactions to AC Seeloff’s letter. The first was that the reduction to six-man minimum manning was not a substantial change from how we previously operated. The second was that it was after the fact and concerns should have been brought up before.

The reduction in manning is a huge change. While true that under our old system when the ambulance was on a call we had an initial response of six men, it would be disingenuous to equate that to a permanent minimum staffing of six. On an average day, the ambulance would be on calls maybe for four hours. That means that over 80 percent of the, time the response was nine men. In addition, the ambulance crew was available for firefighting usually in less than 15 minutes.

Actuals fires have rarely been responded to with six men and when it has occurred the ambulance crew rapidly arrived on scene, much sooner than call in firefighters or mutual aid could. The reduced effectiveness of six firefighters cannot be overstated, and anyone who claims this is an adequate response is uninformed, uneducated in firefighting or pursuing their own agenda and outright lying.

LFD recently had a garage fire at 26 Remick Pkwy. Medic 5 was on a call and the response was six men. Due to difficulty establishing water supply because of dead end water lines, the fire almost spread to the two adjoining houses. Six men were unable to rapidly establish water supply and control the fire. It was the rapid and fortuitous arrival of the ambulance crew that allowed the fire to be brought under control before igniting the neighboring homes. As it is, both houses did suffer exterior damage. If this had been a night with only
six men on duty, very likely this fire would have spread to the two houses. Feel free to drive by the site and see the proximity of the houses and damage.

Another hole in the argument that this isn’t a significant change is that LFD is still responding to ambulance calls but now with an engine. When at a minimum manning of six, that will leave only four men to respond to fire calls. It will also reduce the apparatus response to a single engine.

Another question asked at the meeting was why did the fire union not come earlier and speak against these changes. The Fire Board has not been operating in an open and transparent way. They generally fail to comply with the New York State Open Meetings Law and frequently go into executive session on topics that should be discussed openly. In addition there have been frequent changes to meeting times and only once has the fire union been invited to attend a meeting.  Additionally without prior knowledge of what action the mayor is requesting of the Board, we have no idea what topics to address and what potential changes to speak against. The Fire Board has also been under a ‘gag’ order to not speak to or accept written information from the fire union. We have, though, provided numerous reports and documents that should provide ample evidence that the cuts and changes made by the Board were not in the best interests of the taxpayers or firefighters.

The Fire Board has been asked to make changes and cuts by the administration in response to fiscal problems. These problems are the direct result of the politicians mismanagement not only of finances but of the opportunities to negotiate structural and contractual changes to reduce costs. The resulting "crisis" has been used as an excuse to pursue an agenda of cuts that has led to unsafe working conditions and a direct negative impact on public safety. In addition the Lockport Fire Department is providing manpower to subsidize a private company’s activities, further reducing our effectiveness.

As the Fire Board is solely responsible for the Fire Department, the ultimate fault rests on their shoulders. It is time for the Board to act as the independent body it should be and take action to address these unsafe
conditions before someone gets seriously hurt.  The board should demand serious negotiations to address fiscal issues instead of allowing temporary politicians to permanently undermine the safety of the citizens and employees of Lockport.

Kevin Watier is the secretary/treasurer of Lockport Fire Fighters Local 963.

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East Niagara Post will publish letters to the editor on topics of concern to our readers. If you have an opinion on a matter, email it to news@eastniagarapost.com. Please include your full name, town of residence and a phone number for confirmation.

To the Lockport public,

As of Monday September 15, 2014 at 0700 hours members of the Lockport Fire Fighters Local 963 will no longer be providing ambulance transports for patients in the City of Lockport.

We oppose these moves being made by elected City officials and the signed contract shows it was not well thought out.

Residents can rest assured the Professional Fire Fighters will continue to provide the best service possible given the cuts in service in both areas of fire and EMS.

After a very quick introduction and handshake with Twin City CEO Bryan Brauner, we both agreed we need to sit down and discuss certain areas of this new working relationship so residents and taxpayers have the best possible care in the timeliest manner, which the people of Lockport have come to expect over the past 40 years.

Bryan and I agree that all of our members are in the business of helping people in their time of need.

If only elected City officials understood what can be accomplished by meeting at the table.

Kevin W. Pratt is president of Lockport Fire Fighters Local 963

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East Niagara Post will publish letters to the editor on topics of concern to our readers. If you have an opinion on a matter, email it to news@eastniagarapost.com. Please include your full name, town of residence and a phone number for confirmation.

(GOOGLE MAPS)

The Lockport Fire Department could look a lot different by year's end with less firefighters working at any given time and a new man possibly at the helm.

The city's Fire Board voted Tuesday to reduce the minimum manning for the fire department from nine members per shift to seven. The move, which city officials say is designed to reduce overtime and increase morale, is set to take effect May 1, but is unlikely to occur without a fight.

Kevin Pratt, president of the the firefighters union, told local media that the decision to reduce minimum manning is a violation of the union contract and is likely to lead to a grievance being filed over the issue.

Overtime has long been an issue in the city's fire department with the city having spent $200,000 on overtime for the department already this year. With two thirds of the year still ahead and vacation season not yet underway, overtime costs could reach as high as $1 million if left unchecked. The city budgeted $500,000 for fire department overtime for 2014.

Minimum manning has also been a sticking point over the years. In 2006, the city cut minimum manning from 10 to eight, but the union fought it and won in arbitration. They later agreed to nine members per shift, where it stands now.

The Fire Board also voted to take one of the city's two ambulances out of service on Tuesday, stating that it was mostly unneeded, going on a small percentage of calls — usually when there are multiple calls at a time. The same arbitration that the fire union won in 2006 declared that an ambulance must be sent for every call. The city says this can be solved with mutual aid from surrounding fire companies.

Fire Chief Thomas Passuite has indicated that his retirement is in the near future, possibly by the end of the year. With that in mind, a civil service exam was given to find a potential replacement. That exam was the subject of another grievance filed by the union, one which the city fought. The union claimed that Luca Quagliano, municipal training officer, was ineligible for the job, although he took the test.

As it turns out, the grievance itself was for naught. Quagliano placed fifth on the exam. Only the top three are to be considered for the post. The top three finishers were Assistant Chief Michael B. Seeloff, Capt. Thomas E. Lupo and Capt. Patrick K. Brady.

Passuite has not yet given a date for his retirement, only that it's coming. Once he announces a date, Seeloff, Lupo and Brady will be interviewed by the Fire Board.

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The bay doors at the Lockport Fire Department have become a point of contention as the firefighters union says they object to remotes the city had installed in fire vehicles. The city says the fire department isn't required to use them. (GOOGLE MAPS SCREENSHOT)

City officials say they installed garage door remotes in all fire department vehicles so they would have the option of opening and closing the doors themselves. The fire department union, Local 963, says they don't want the option — it violates their contract.

The firefighters union filed a grievance over the matter. The city, in turn, asked that the grievance — and its request for arbitration over the matter — be rejected.

Currently the responsibility of opening and closing the bay doors at One Locks Plaza belong to the Lockport Police Department dispatch, which has been handing dispatch duties for both the police and fire departments for nearly four years. In December, however, the city installed remote openers in all fire vehicles.

City officials have said that the fire department isn't required to use the remotes. They can still ask police dispatch to open and close the bay doors as they had since May of 2010, but they don't have to if it's easier for them to do it themselves.

In paperwork the city filed with the state Supreme Court, the city said the union is "objecting to the option, provided for and installed at city expense, of using one of the fingers of a firefighter to press down on a button located on the remote control device within the cab of every fire apparatus in order to open or close the overhead doors of the Fire Department, all for the convenience of firefighters."

"It is utterly incomprehensible to the reasonable taxpayer and the city as to why Local 963 has chosen to waste valuable city resources and thousands of dollars in potential arbitration fees, resources and time in defending this," the city filing claimed.

The city and Local 963 have been at odds for quite a while. The union is working on an old contract, the current one having expired at the end of 2012. The city cut eight firefighter positions at the beginning of the year — one through attrition and seven through layoffs. The department now has 38 members.

Both sides have accused the other of refusing to negotiate over the expired contract.

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ENP - Lockport emergency responders close off Main Street to prevent a suicide attempt Thursday afternoon.