Photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Flames from a devastating blaze at the troubled former Crawford Furniture location on Allen Street scorched neighboring structures while keeping crews battling the inferno at a distance after 11:20 a.m. Wednesday in Jamestown. Within an hour after it began, the structure collapsed as firefighters took on a losing battle that kept burning throughout the early afternoon.

From the beginning, crews worried about the possibility of the fire spreading to other nearby locations. They also expressed concerns about possible explosions.

Board of Public Utilities workers were called to the scene almost immediately to cut high-tension lines near the location. In addition, barricades were placed around the site of the fire due to heavy traffic from onlookers who wanted view the destruction.

So damaging and dangerous was the incident that employees in the Artone building at 1089 Allen St. were forced to exit the location. Later in the afternoon, BPU reported widespread discolored water that could take 12 to 24 hours to clear. “The firefighting effort at an empty Allen Street manufacturing plant today required pulling a large amount of water from hydrants on the scene, stirring natural-occurring sediments in water lines,” said Rebecca Robbins, communications coordinator.

Crews had most of the blaze knocked down by around 2 p.m. though potential rekindlings were expected throughout the night. Both Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist and Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel were on the scene.

Photo by Eric Tichy

“This is a site that we (the city) have been under a current lawsuit with the owner Richard Rusiniak,” Sundquist said. We have had the New York state DEC and federal EPA. It was really a matter of time before something bad happened without the owner securing it. We do not know the cause of the fire yet as we are here. We will send in investigators afterward, but right now we concerned with everone’s safety, and making sure we are able to put this out as quickly as possible.”

Sundquist confirmed the adjacent building, Artone Manufacturing, was evacuated and “everyone was out and safe.”

From the beginning, Jamestown Fire Department called in assistance from the Falconer Fire Department, Celoron Fire Department and Lakewood Fire Department for additional ladder trucks. Other crews that responded included: Kiantone, Kennedy, Busti, Frewsburg, Gerry, Sinclairville, Fluvanna, Ellington, Randolph, Ashville, Panama as well as Chautauqua County Haz-Mat. Cherry Creek filled in at the Gerry station.

Photo by Eric Tichy

Photo by Eric Tichy