Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Firefighters used five aerial ladder trucks work to put out a fire on Friday at 613 Main St. The village is having a structural engineer come to determine if the building can be saved or if it needs to be knocked down, Mayor Mike Sidari said this morning.

The roof and floors are gone, but the Medina Sandstone walls remain.

If the building can be saved, Sidari said a developer would like to take charge of the site.

The building from 1901 was used to sell carpet and also had two residents on the second floor.

This is the first building on the east side of Main Street when people cross the railroad tracks. The mayor said he is hopeful the structure can continue to stand.

“Right now it’s a wait-and-see,” he said.

Medina firefighters are keeping close tabs on the site for hot spots following the big blaze. About 150 firefighters from three counties were able to contain the fire to the building without it spreading.

Fire investigators also are on the scene this morning trying to determine the cause, Sidari said.

Traffic was closed off to Main Street from Center Street to Maple Ridge Road for part of Friday. This photo is from about 2 p.m. on Friday.

Main Street remains blocked off to traffic this morning from Park Avenue to North Avenue.

The three-story sandstone building was built by Charles Dye and Frank Austin as the first “mechanical” cold storage building in Medina, the Medina Sandstone Society said.

“Prior to the invention of mechanical refrigeration, ice cut during the winter was used to refrigerate locally grown fruit – mainly apples, peaches, pears and plums,” the Sandstone Society posted on its Facebook page.

The organization said it hopes the historic structure can be saved.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Rev. Neil Samborski of the Glad Tidings Missionary Baptist Church is dressed as the Roman Centurion in leading a procession at about 12:45 p.m. today. The group is crossing Main Street while firefighters battle a blaze down the street at a carpet store next to the railroad tracks.

The Rev. Randy LeBaron, interim pastor of the First Baptist Church in Medina, carries the cross in front with Dale Cameron holding the other end.

The Rev. Randy LeBaron and the group prepare the leave the Canal Basin. The group made seven stops in the downtown and near the Canal Basin, sharing Scripture and singing hymns.

The annual Good Friday walk had a modified course. About an hour before the “Cross Walk” was scheduled to start the fire broke out at the carpet store.

The Cross Walk usually starts at City hall, but that was off limits due to the fire almost across the street. The group instead started at the Presbyterian Church. They also didn’t venture to three stops on West Avenue, instead staying on North Main Street.

The Rev. Randy LeBaron reads scripture from John 19: 23-30. The group then sang “The Old Rugged Cross.” They are shown in front of the Bent’s Opera House.

Pastor Dan Thurber of the Oak Orchard Assembly of God and Jarred Saj carry the cross to the last station in front of the Presbyterian Church.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Multiple ladder trucks were called in to help douse the fire at 613 Main St., a three-story sandstone building next to the railroad tracks.

MEDINA – A big fire on Main Street has been contained to one building with 150 firefighters from three counties battling the blaze.

The response includes five ladder trucks – Albion, Lockport, Medina, Murray and Shelby.

The fire isn’t out yet, and firefighters will likely stay on scene for the next two days in case there are any hot spots, said Steve Cooley, a lieutenant with the Medina Fire Department.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 10:49 a.m.. There was smoke coming out of the chimney. Once on scene, firefighters observed the blaze was most intense in the basement and could tell it was a serious fire, Cooley said.

“It was a heavy, putrid smoke so they could tell it was a problem right away,” Cooley said.

The fire was most intense in the back of the building.

Firefighters rescued a man from the second floor, taking him out of the second floor window facing Main Street. He was treated on scene and declined to be transported for additional treatment at a hospital.

The roof has caved in on the main structure. Once the scene is fully under control, Cooley said a structural engineer and the village code enforcement will determine the next steps with the building.

The fire required an enormous amount of water. Firefighters drew from four hydrants, and also from two spots at Oak Orchard Creek – near Butts Park and by the Brookfield power plant near State Street Park.

Cooley said fire investigators will work to try to determine the cause of the blaze, which closed off traffic in the vicinity of the site.

“This is the biggest fire in Orleans in quite some time,” Cooley said.

A big response from firefighters from Orleans, Genesee and Niagara counties kept the fire from spreading.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Wide swaths of smoke spread from a three-story sandstone building that has been on fire since about 11 a.m.

Residents in the southeast portion of the village are urged to close doors and windows, and shelter in place as much as possible to avoid smoke and any unknown contaminants in may carry, according to a message from the village.

“Please conserve water until further notice,” village officials stated in a text notification to the community.

The building has been used to sell carpet. The structure is owned by Jeff Fuller. Multiple fire departments remain on scene.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Dark smoke spews out of a cavernous building on Main Street in Medina at about noon. The fire is at a sandstone building at 613 Main St., a site owned by Jeff Fuller that sells carpet.

The building is next to the railroad tracks.

Medina firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 10:50 a.m. Multiple fire departments have been called to help put out the fire. This photo is the front of the building facing Main Street.

The dark smoke can be seen from several miles away. This photo is from the municipal lot behind Main Street.

A Medina firefighter is up high on a ladder at the back end of the building.

Orleans Hub will have more on the fire later today.

Megan Johnson

MEDINA – The local community has an opportunity to dress up for an elegant night out and support Medina Memorial Hospital.

Megan Johnson, executive director of Orleans Community Health’s foundation, has announced a fundraising gala from 6 to 10 p.m. on April 29 at Bent’s Opera House.

The theme is “Light up the Night,” and will feature gourmet food stations, a fun party band and exclusive silent auction.

The Foundation already sponsors Treasure Island in November, a cash raffle and golf tournament in the summer.

“We were looking for a different event to do in spring,” Johnson said. “The theme will be different every year.”

Entertainment will be provided by Something Else, a popular rock band from Rochester.

While this is a formal event, Johnson said it is not your traditional black tie requirement. It is considered “creative black,” she said, meaning men can wear a bright tie with their suit and women can wear a dressy dress or jumpsuit.

Lawley Insurance and Bent’s Opera House have already stepped up to be sponsors, and other sponsorships are available, Johnson said.

The silent auction will feature only five exclusive items, including a 10-year-old bottle of Pappy Rip Van Winkle bourbon. The liquor online sells for more than $1,000 a bottle, with some bottles priced at more than $5,000. It was donated by Main Street Liquor. Winners must be in attendance to claim their prize.

The evening will also include a short presentation by hospital CEO Marc Shurtz, who will share how far the hospital has come and his vision for the future.

Tickets for the event are $150 per person and can be purchased by visiting SupportOCH.org/event/gala. Tickets may also be purchased by sending a check to OCH Foundation, Attention Megan Johnson, 200 Ohio St., Medina, NY 14103; stopping in the Foundation office in the lobby of the hospital; or calling (585) 798-8426 to reserve and pay over the phone. Attendance is limited to 100 people.

In addition to Johnson, the Events Committee includes Cindy Hewitt, Barb Jantzi, Gloria Brent and Peter Bartula.

Provided photo: After an article was published stating the Medina Lions’ had a need for a children’s wheelchair for their Medical Loan Closet, one was donated, along with enough money to purchase a second one. They are shown here next to a regular size wheelchair.

MEDINA – On March 10, the Orleans Hub ran a story detailing the Medina Lions Club’s need for a child-size wheelchair to be shared through the Medical Loan Closet.

A short time after the article ran, a used children’s wheelchair was donated, in addition to enough money for the Lions to purchase a second child’s wheelchair, according to Jim Punch, Medina Lions’ president, who oversees the Medical Loan Closet.

There was also enough money donated to enable the Lions to purchase other items to shore up the Loan Closet’s stock of items for children, such as crutches and walkers.

“Our community always comes through to help those in need,” Punch said. “We are all very lucky to live in a place with people who are so generous and caring.”

Punch said they have had several requests for children’s wheelchairs in recent weeks, and were very disappointed not to have been able to fulfill the requests.

The Medical Loan Closet lends medical items to anyone who needs them, and has had an ample supply of commodes, hospital beds, walkers, crutches and other medical equipment.

Anyone who has need to borrow medical equipment or has items to donate may call (585) 205-3502. The address to send donations to the Medina Lions is P.O. Box 511, Medina.