TOWN OF WATSON, New York (WWNY) – A 2-story residence on Erie Canal Road was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning.
The Lowville Fire Department was dispatched at approximately 3:38 a.m. to 6682 Erie Canal Road after the owner and a neighbor reported the fire.
Lowville Fire Chief Joseph Austin says the homeowner, Bruce Lehman, was home and asleep at the time of the fire. He escaped safely and made his way to a neighbor’s house to call for assistance due to poor cell phone reception in the area.
Law enforcement arrived first and confirmed a working structure fire.
When Lowville fire crews arrived, they used defensive tactics due to the fire’s intensity and knocked down the bulk of the fire from outside in approximately 30 minutes. Overhaul operations took another two hours.
Due to the extent of the damage, an exact cause could not be pinpointed. The fire did not appear suspicious.
Fire Chief Joseph Austin said the fire is believed to have started on the back porch area, which had multiple ignition sources that could not be eliminated due to fire damage.
The Lowville Fire Department was assisted by the New Bremen, Croghan, and Beaver Falls fire departments.
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