Suspected meth-contaminated home burns down in Bainbridge
Emergency crews from multiple departments responded to a house fire early Friday morning at the corner of State Route 7 and County Road 38 in the Town of Bainbridge. (Photo by Cindy Tiley)
BAINBRIDGE – Multiple fire departments responded to a suspected meth-contaminated home that became fully engulfed early Friday morning.
Officials say the condemned house, located at the corner of State Route 7 and County Road 38 in the Town of Bainbridge, is a total loss. It was confirmed that no firefighters were injured knocking out the blaze, but the investigation is ongoing.
The incident was reported by a volunteer firefighter around midnight. Crews were on the scene 15 minutes later; but because of safety regulations that restrict first responders from entering a condemned building, firefighters were unable to go inside the house and couldn’t say at the time if anyone was inside.
Bainbridge Fire Chief Fred Bell declined to comment Friday morning.
The house has a checkered past which has garnered the attention of town officials and local police for months. Reports of squatters and drug use had been addressed by law enforcement and codes enforcement multiple times before Chenango County Code Enforcement deemed the house “uninhabitable” last week.
In spite of the house being condemned, officials say police have responded to reports of people still living there, including one call that was made the day before the fire.
Bainbridge Town Supervisor Delores Nabinger spoke to The Evening Sun about the troubles at the residence earlier this week.
“For about two years now, people have been moving in there. The man who’s name is on the deed is in medical rehab. While he’s been in medical rehab, more people have moved in,” Nabinger said, noting that 18 people were living inside the residence when it was condemned.
“We had a town meeting last Tuesday night – citizens complaining that we (the town) aren’t doing anything, and about 60 people showed up. We had a sheriff there to explain that because of bail reform laws, they couldn’t do much to keep people from going back in there.”
“This has been a chronic problem,” she added.
For months, the town received reports of individuals using public baths and showers in nearby Clinton Park before returning to the home on the corner of State Route 7 and County Road 38. Village water had been shut off to the house which Nabinger said would be turned back on by individuals staying there. Police have responded to the residence multiple times in recent months, including once to arrest an individual involved in a high speed chase through Bainbridge, she said.
“It was a nice house,” she said, citing the dilapidation that’s occurred over the last two years. “When people are on drugs, they do weird things to houses.”
Friday's fire was the latest in a pattern of house fires where drug use was suspected. The Bainbridge Fire Department has also responded to calls under similar circumstances on Pearl Street and Main Street.
Nabinger said town officials are presently keeping an eye on another nearby residence that may be housing unlawful residents.
“Right now, next to the bus garage there’s a place where the owner is in jail and will be for quite a while. We believe they’re moving down the street to that house,” she said.
Fire departments from Bainbridge, Afton, Coventry, Guilford, Masonville, Mount Upton, and Sidney all responded to the call made early Friday. Bell said more than it took between 130,000 and 140,000 gallons of water to put out the flames.
Officials say the condemned house, located at the corner of State Route 7 and County Road 38 in the Town of Bainbridge, is a total loss. It was confirmed that no firefighters were injured knocking out the blaze, but the investigation is ongoing.
The incident was reported by a volunteer firefighter around midnight. Crews were on the scene 15 minutes later; but because of safety regulations that restrict first responders from entering a condemned building, firefighters were unable to go inside the house and couldn’t say at the time if anyone was inside.
Bainbridge Fire Chief Fred Bell declined to comment Friday morning.
The house has a checkered past which has garnered the attention of town officials and local police for months. Reports of squatters and drug use had been addressed by law enforcement and codes enforcement multiple times before Chenango County Code Enforcement deemed the house “uninhabitable” last week.
In spite of the house being condemned, officials say police have responded to reports of people still living there, including one call that was made the day before the fire.
Bainbridge Town Supervisor Delores Nabinger spoke to The Evening Sun about the troubles at the residence earlier this week.
“For about two years now, people have been moving in there. The man who’s name is on the deed is in medical rehab. While he’s been in medical rehab, more people have moved in,” Nabinger said, noting that 18 people were living inside the residence when it was condemned.
“We had a town meeting last Tuesday night – citizens complaining that we (the town) aren’t doing anything, and about 60 people showed up. We had a sheriff there to explain that because of bail reform laws, they couldn’t do much to keep people from going back in there.”
“This has been a chronic problem,” she added.
For months, the town received reports of individuals using public baths and showers in nearby Clinton Park before returning to the home on the corner of State Route 7 and County Road 38. Village water had been shut off to the house which Nabinger said would be turned back on by individuals staying there. Police have responded to the residence multiple times in recent months, including once to arrest an individual involved in a high speed chase through Bainbridge, she said.
“It was a nice house,” she said, citing the dilapidation that’s occurred over the last two years. “When people are on drugs, they do weird things to houses.”
Friday's fire was the latest in a pattern of house fires where drug use was suspected. The Bainbridge Fire Department has also responded to calls under similar circumstances on Pearl Street and Main Street.
Nabinger said town officials are presently keeping an eye on another nearby residence that may be housing unlawful residents.
“Right now, next to the bus garage there’s a place where the owner is in jail and will be for quite a while. We believe they’re moving down the street to that house,” she said.
Fire departments from Bainbridge, Afton, Coventry, Guilford, Masonville, Mount Upton, and Sidney all responded to the call made early Friday. Bell said more than it took between 130,000 and 140,000 gallons of water to put out the flames.
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