It was started accidentally by an employee depositing ashes near 10 to 20 plastic bins at the Cahoon Farms on Lummisville Road in the Town of Wolcott on Thursday (3/12) morning  just after 9 a.m.

The plastic bins, made of flammable oil-based material, quickly spread to the adjoining empty wooden bins and the resulting fire exploded into what Wolcott Fire Chief, Gerry Lasher described as “One very hot fire”.

The fire spread to the nearby gas meter and building, setting off the natural gas supply, adding to the fire fighters task.

It took fire fighters from Wolcott, Red Creeek, North Rose and the tanker task forces from the Sodus Departments and Savannah/Butler Departments to bring the outside fire under control.

RG&E arrived on the scene about 12:30 p.m. to shut off the gas mains. In all, fire fighters fought the blaze for over two and a half hours. None of the other buildings were damaged.

Between 500 to 600 bins were destroyed in the fire, but Chief Lasher stated the efforts by the fire companies saved between 1600-1800 more wooden bins.

On Thursday night, a representative of Cahoon Farms showed up at the Wolcott Fire Department meeting to thank the company for their fast work fighting the blaze and saving the rest of the bins from burning.