Firefighters across Seneca County responded to three separate structure fires over a three-day stretch, with officials pointing to heating equipment as the cause in each case. No injuries were reported, but one home was destroyed and another suffered heavy damage.
The most serious fire broke out around 2:15 a.m. Tuesday at a home on Route 414 in Varick. Deputies and fire crews from multiple departments arrived to find the structure fully involved. The house was a total loss, but the occupants escaped safely and were not hurt. The fire chief determined the blaze started from an unattended propane heater.
Just two days earlier, on Sunday morning around 9 a.m., crews were called to a structure fire on Leader Road in Fayette. Firefighters found a small fire burning underneath the home, caused by a salamander heater. Crews were able to put the fire out quickly, limiting damage. Everyone inside the home, including pets, evacuated safely without injuries.
Another residential fire happened early Saturday morning around 3:38 a.m. in the Town of Lodi. Fire departments from Lodi, Ovid, Romulus, Varick and other mutual aid agencies responded. Firefighters brought the fire under control, but the home sustained heavy damage. Officials said the fire appeared to start because the home’s chimney was obstructed. The residents made it out safely.
The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office credited the fast response from multiple fire departments for preventing injuries in all three incidents and is reminding residents to use heating equipment with caution during the winter months.
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