By Lou Michel
The Buffalo News
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo firefighters stopped a fast-moving, two-alarm apartment house fire in the Schiller Park neighborhood from spreading to a second apartment house early Tuesday.
In the process, three firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Erie County Medical Center for treatment and observation, according to Fire Commissioner Garnell W. Whitfield Jr.
Fourteen people living in two apartments next door to 2041 Genesee St. were temporarily evacuated as a precaution because of downed, live power lines outside the unoccupied 21/2-story, wood-frame apartment building at the intersection with Zelmer Street, the commissioner said.
Firefighters responded at 3:11 a.m., shortly after the blaze started in a car parked inside a rear garage attached to the building, which also has two empty storefronts.
The fire damaged an adjacent, free-standing garage at the rear of 2043 Genesee, where the residents were evacuated, fire officials said.
National Grid turned off power because of the fallen lines, but service was later restored to 2043 Genesee, and the displaced dwellers — five adults and nine children — were free to return to the building, Whitfield said.
Damage to 2041 Genesee was listed at $10,000. Exposure damage to the garage at 2043 Genesee was set at $2,500.
“It was a very aggressive attack by members of the department, and they held the fire in check, confining it to the rear of 2041. The building is salvageable,” said Whitfield, who was at the scene of the fire.
David Earthman, owner of 2043 Genesee, expressed relief that his apartment building was spared damage.
“It only got the side of my garage and the side of my pickup truck,” Earthman said. “I have two apartments in the house, and there was no fire damage inside.”
Damage to his truck was estimated at $1,000.
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