RAPIDS, N.Y. — A homeowner along Tonawanda Creek in the town of Royalton is staying elsewhere after erosion caused by the creek destroyed part of the property.
Niagara County emergency crews responded to the scene near Riddle Road and Tonawanda Creek Rd just after 4 p.m. Wednesday.
"A pickup truck had slid down the embankment and the house was very close to sliding in as well," said Aaron Bair, chief for the Rapids Fire Department."
A witness shared a photo of the scene with 2 On Your Side, as the destruction caused by the erosion was not visible from the road.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene including the Niagara County Director of Emergency Services, Niagara County Sheriff's Office, the Rapids Fire Department, and NYS DEC.
One person was inside the home at the time the land, and truck, started slipping into the creek, according to Chief Bair. The homeowner was able to get out safely.
"This is something that we don't see every day," Chief Bair said. "We train for a lot of unknowns.
Bair said there was a similar situation on the Erie County side of Tonawanda Creek several years ago,
"We're helping the homeowner the best we can by getting as much of his belongings as we can out of the structure and away from the immediate danger."
Royalton highway department crews were fencing off the property so it wasn't disturbed overnight.
Chief Bair said the homeowner will have to work with an engineer and their insurance company to determine the next steps. The homeowner, however, was not allowed to stay in the home overnight.