01/26/2025
Press Release 1/22/2025 – Ovid Fire Department –
At approx. 17:48 hrs on 1/21/2025 Seneca County 911 Center received a call for an apartment fire above the Ovid Big M at 7174 North Main St. Ovid Fire Department and automatic mutual aid units from Interlaken, Lodi, and Romulus were dispatched at 17:49 hrs with Ovid 1131 (Quint) arriving on scene at 17:51 hrs. At 17:52 hrs Ovid Chief Timothy Westlake, Sr requested a county all-call for tanker shuttle. Within 10 minutes of the first dispatch approximately 30 tankers had been requested. Two county all-calls for equipment which included 6 total ariels,) and manpower were requested.
We established 2 separate command posts; one for operations and one for assignment, back fill of equipment and apparatus, and manpower. Four separate water supplies were established, 3 on-scene and one at the Ovid water tower. Fill sites were established, 2 at Five Points Correctional, 1 at a dry hydrant on Southtown Building Road, and one at Grandview on the Former Willard DTC Campus. At 2 hours into fire operations NYSEG was asked to cut power to additional locations which caused the pump house to lose power and stop filling the Ovid water tower. An additional ariel unit was requested to the scene at that time. Due to loss of water supply from the tower and grave conditions including icy roads, frozen valves and temperatures below zero with the windchill the fire jumped the alley between Uptown Diner and Eva’s Laundromat. Over the next several hours crews continued to combat weather conditions and water supply issues, while maintaining the integrity of the Italian Kitchen building. After 3 hours of the flames impinging on the firewall of Italian Kitchen the firewall began to fail, and fire spread into the apartments above the pizzeria. Knowing the dangers of the buildings’ collapse 3 excavators were brought in to help crews gain better access to control the fire.
The buildings involved were 7172-7182 Main St and 2147 W Seneca St. Buildings 7172-7182 Main St were a total loss and the buildings had to be demolished to bring the fire under control. 2147 W Seneca St was unoccupied and suffered heat, smoke and water damage to the outside of the building. All buildings were built between 1850-1885.
6 businesses were affected with 5 requiring demolition (including Ovid Big M, Uptown Diner, Eva’s Laundromat, STEPS Project, and Italian Kitchen,) leaving 60 people unemployed, and an additional 15-20 individuals (including children) were displaced due to the loss of 10 apartments.
We are incredibly grateful for the amount of donations and outpouring of support we received today from Ovid and surrounding communities, and multiple businesses!!! At this time, we are still accepting food, beverage and paper product donations, however they will be limited tomorrow, Thursday 1/23/25 to 10am-12 Noon and 4pm-6pm. Food will be available during the same time for those in need, including those displaced and those who lost their jobs.
We are delaying our announcement of monetary donation locations/options until all information has been provided to us, and we expect that to occur tomorrow (1/23) or Friday. (We are awaiting specific information from Ovid Federated Church.)
The following information is being shared from United Way of Seneca County as we are entrusting them with coordination of donations with multiple agencies and organizations: *** UPDATE 1/23/2025 BEFORE TAKING DONATIONS OF GOODS TO A LOCATION LISTED BELOW PLEASE CONTACT THEM. MANY LOCATIONS IN SENECA COUNTY ARE FULL AND CANNOT ACCEPT MORE ***
Fundraisers:
- Cedarwood Venue, Trumansburg - Dining for Dollars event - Thursday 1/22 5pm-9pm - all money made from wings will be donated to benefit Ovid
Warming/Charging/Snack Centers:
- Interlaken Public Library
- Lodi Whittier Library
*A-Verdi is donating 2 8'x20' storage units to be placed at Town of Seneca Falls Police Department and Seneca County Sheriff's Office - NY by tomorrow Thursday, 1/23 - please no food, but can hold donated clothing, household items, toiletries & furniture. (Please no food!) *
- Seneca County House of Concern, Food Pantry & Thrift Store, Waterloo (10am-4pm)
- Seneca Community Church, Romulus
- Seneca Falls Police Department
- Hart Towing & Service LLC, Waterloo (M-F 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-noon)
- Kuneytown Sportsman Club (Wed 1/22 and Thurs 1/23 - 4:30pm-7pm)
- Voilet Wednesday Bakery, Finger Lakes Mall Food Court - Auburn (Wed-Sun 9am-7pm - drop a donation, get a free cup of coffee!)
- Ashia's Closet, SF (clothing donations Saturday 10am-3pm)
- Sugar Mama's Cookies & Confections, SF (Thursday & Friday 9am-5:30pm, Sunday 9am-2pm - free cup of coffee with every donation!)
- Ovid Vfw
- Waterloo Library and Historical Society
- Ithaca Church (609 W. Clinton)
- VanGalder Family Farm (5854 County Rd 14, Alpine, NY 14805 - Thursday 9am-3pm, Friday-Sunday 9am-6pm)
-Wally's Ford in Seneca Falls, 2027 Rt 20, M-F 9a - 6p, Sat 8a - 4p
- Edith B. Ford Library once reopened (will update with date/times)
- Cedarwood Venue, Trumansburg
- Cato Fire Department, 2569 E. Main St. Cato, NY 13033, call for arrangements (315) 626-2660
Donation Drop offs for ALL including perishable food:
- SC House of Concern, Waterloo (10am-4pm)
- VanGalder Family Farm (5854 County Rd 14, Alpine, NY 14805 - Thursday 9am-3pm, Friday-Sunday 9am-6pm)
Resources Available:
- Ovid Thrift Store - clothing & available items
Ashia's Closet - clothing, Saturday 10am-3pm
- Family Hope Center - diapers, baby supplies - call or text for Ovid pick up Thursday 1/22 from 10am-2pm (315) 789-0708
- SC House of Concern - food, clothing & household items
- Ovid Federated Church - clothing, food
- Big D Auctions & Estate Service - (315) 521-1999 - clothing, household items
- Seneca County Health Department is providing N-95 masks, dental kits, safety information available at Community Bank, Ovid, Lodi Library and Interlaken Library
- Kinney Drugs - medication assistance for those displaced
- People's Baptist Church, 364 Main St. Newfield, NY, 2nd Tuesday 4p - 7p, 3rd Saturday 8a - 12p
If you would like to be added to this list, please message us here or email United Way of Seneca County at [email protected]
