Fire destroys former Babcock Ladder Factory in Bath, slows traffic on I-86
Several Steuben County fire departments extinguished a blaze Monday night that destroyed a former factory building on Delaware Avenue in Bath.
The large fire, visible from nearby I-86, slowed traffic along the highway as motorists stopped to watch the blaze until State Police dispatched units to keep traffic moving.
The fire destroyed the former Babcock Ladder Factory, currently owned by Clark’s Specialty Company, at 36 Delaware Ave. in Bath.
The cause of the fire, reported by a passerby at 9:02 p.m., is currently unknown and there were no injuries reported, according to John Conrad Sr., spokesperson for the Bath Volunteer Fire Department.
The fire was called under control at about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday with many units still on scene in the early morning hours trying to knock down some smaller fires at the site, Conrad said. Many hotspots remained smoldering for some time due to the metal roof on the building.
The Bath Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Bath Village Police were first on scene and confirmed flames were through the roof at the former Babcock Ladder Factory.
Conrad said Bath Assistant Fire Chief David Dowdle arrived immediately afterwards and called for a full second alarm assignment, and minutes later called for a third alarm assignment with heavy fire and smoke conditions.
Fire departments from all over Steuben County were initially called in to help fight this large fire, including Bath VA, Hammondsport, Avoca, Kanona, Savona, Campbell and Painted Post.
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Conrad said about an hour later additional units from Wayland, Corning Joint Fire District, Prattsburgh and Forest View Gang Mills were called to the site for additional manpower to relieve the firefighters that had been fighting the fire from the beginning.
Conrad said the cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Steuben County Fire Investigation Team.
This article originally appeared on The Leader: Former Babcock Ladder Factory in Bath, New York, destroyed by fire
