Ontario County's sheriff and district attorney say there is currently insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges under New York's Penal Law in connection with the August 2025 fire at ECO Operations in Gorham.
State and federal environmental agencies are continuing to investigate damage to soil, air and water from the storage and burning of the expired hand sanitizer at the site.
Sheriff David Cirencione and District Attorney Jason MacBride announced the findings Friday after a multiagency investigation into the fire at 4611 Dewey Ave.
Fire destroyed warehouse and sanitizer stockpile
Deputies joined more than 200 firefighters and first responders from seven counties after the fire was reported at 5:21 p.m. Aug. 30, 2025, according to the release.
The warehouse, much of the surrounding property and hundreds of pallets were engulfed in flames when responders arrived. The pallets contained expired hand sanitizer acquired by the company.
Friday's release said active fire suppression lasted nearly 12 hours. The property remained secured for several weeks while hazard mitigation took place.
Investigators could not determine the fire's cause
The sheriff's office worked with Gorham's Code Enforcement Office, Ontario County Emergency Management, the district attorney's office, the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Investigators examined the fire's cause and origin and reviewed how the alcohol-based sanitizer had been acquired under local, state and federal statutes.
The work included detailed site inspections, soil testing, a neighborhood canvass for surveillance footage and interviews with employees, neighbors and witnesses. The company's surveillance system contained no recordings of evidentiary value, officials said.
Because the warehouse and its contents were completely destroyed, investigators could not determine a definitive cause or point of origin.
After reviewing the findings, MacBride and the sheriff's office concluded that the evidence is currently insufficient to charge anyone with a Penal Law crime related to the fire.
The DEC and EPA investigations into environmental damage remain ongoing.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
