BUFFALO, N.Y. — First responders battled a 2-alarm house fire Friday evening on Buffalo's West Side.
The fire was at 92 Bird Ave., a block east of Niagara Street and near the 190-198 split. When a 2 On Your Side photojournalist arrived at the home, where the fire began some time just after 4 p.m.
At one point, crews were working inside the home when conditions deteriorated, and they were pulled. A Buffalo Fire Department captain at the scene told 2 On Your Side that everyone inside the home made it out safely.
Crews were working defensively to put the fire out. The fire was placed under control shortly around 6:20 p.m.
"We just took it to more of a defensive and a safety-conscious posture and pulled the crews out," Battalion Chief Mark Mendola said.
Mendola says homes on the West Side of Buffalo can present challenges for fire crews because of the density of homes, tall trees, and power lines.
"It always presents a challenge because we have difficulty accessing with aerial devices, ground ladders, things of such weight," Mendola said. "[We] had a heck of a head start in front of us."
The home at 92 Bird Ave. dates back to the 1890s. It was built by John E. Redstock, who was the founder and developer of Crystal Beach.
In the 1960s, the home was converted to the Carroll Nursing Home, and when that shuttered in the 1990s, it remained vacant until the early 2000s.
According to a New York Times Magazine article, and a Buffalo Rising article, the house was eventually occupied by environmentalist who were squatting at the property. Eventually the environmentalists gained ownership of the home, and for years it was known within the community as a communal living space.
A neighbor told 2 On Your Side that the how was listed for sale within the last month.
An investigation found that the fire started on the second floor of the occupied residential structure, according to a City of Buffalo spokesperson. The damage was estimated at $450,000.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Additionally, Mendola told WGRZ that he will be retiring from the Buffalo Fire Department in a couple days.
2 On Your Side asked Mendola to reflect on his time serving Buffalo as a firefighter.
"I always appreciate the hard work that the men and women do each and every day. 24/7 doesn't matter what kind of weather, what kind of conditions, you always call the fire department, they will always come out. So I'm blessed to go out on my own terms, and just happy and fortunate for people that I've worked with in the past," Mendola said.