The team at HEP Sales and North Main Lumber have provided an update following the structure fire that damaged a portion of the building on Tuesday.
A representative of HEP told FingerLakes1.com on Thursday the building sustained ‘minor damage’ and that it was mostly confined to an office area, as well as storage room.
“We are extremely grateful to all of the fire departments and first responders that brought the fire under control so quickly,” Rachael Sergent said. “The Border City, City of Geneva, Waterloo and Oaks Corners departments as well as North Seneca Ambulance Corps, Border City Ladies Auxiliary, Seneca County Sheriff’s Department, Seneca County Emergency Management and Seneca County Code Enforcement acted quickly and professionally to contain the fire. Without their hard and brave work the outcome would have been very different.”
They thanked all responding agencies and volunteers for their efforts that night and in the days that followed.
HEP Sales has remained open since the fire.
Structure fire damages HEP Sales and North Main Lumber in Waterloo
First responders from Seneca and Ontario counties were dispatched to a building fire at HEP Sales late-Tuesday.
While the fire was brought under control around 30 minutes after firefighters arrived on-scene, fire was reported throughout the store itself.
The fire was later found to have started out front of a main entryway. The store suffered smoke and water damage, with most of the fire load contained to a front office and ceiling where the fire began to travel.
A quick knockdown on the fire prevented any further spreading which can be credited to a fast response from all agencies involved, and having a fire alarm system in place.
Border City Fire Department Geneva Fire Department, Waterloo fire department Oaks Corners Fire Department, and North Seneca Ambulance along with the Seneca County Fire Investigation team, Emergency Management, Code Enforcement and Seneca County Sheriff’s Office.
5&20 was shut down for approximately 2.5 hours as firefighters worked at the scene. The road reopened around 10 p.m.
The investigation remains active.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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