Photo by Dan Kohler
A house fire on Tuesday morning on Center Street in Fredonia has claimed the life of one person while five others living there have been displaced.
Fredonia Fire Department crews were called to 111 Center St. just before 6 a.m. Besides the flames, firefighters were dealing with the elements of wind and bitter temperatures. Wind chills were well below zero.
Tankers had to be called in due to temperatures being around 8 degrees when the fire broke out. Fredonia received assistance from East Town and West Town of Dunkirk, city of Dunkirk, Brocton, Stockton and Sheridan.
“We had a hard time with a lack of water supply due to hydrants being frozen,” said Fire Chief Kurt Maytum.
The home was a two-story older home containing two upstairs apartments. All the upstairs occupants escaped the blaze without injury. The lower apartment had two occupants. One occupant was able to break a lower bedroom window and was able to jump out and escape the fire. That occupant did sustain minor injuries and was taken to Brooks Memorial Hospital for treatment. She was later released.
Photo by Dan Kohler
The other lower occupant was unable to escape and was identified as Patricia Ulkins, 70. The fire was investigated by Chautauqua County Fire Investigation team with assistance from Fredonia Police, S St George Enterprises, and Fredonia Fire.
The body was was turned over to the Chautauqua County coroner. The origin of the fire is believed to have occurred on the first floor near the center of the home. Due to the amount of damage its unknown why the fire started. The fire is not suspicious in nature, but has been ruled as undetermined. An investigation is continuing.
As of the afternoon, the structure was being demolished by a backhoe.
Photo by Dan Kohler
Photo by Dan Kohler
