DUNKIRK — A few dozen firefighters this morning remained at the scene of a major fire that

destroyed two historic Central Avenue buildings late Wednesday.

The firefighters today were putting out hot spots from the massive fire that had raced through the four-story OneStop building, the former Masonic Temple building, at 323 Central Ave.

"We don't have that many large four-story buildings," Dunkirk Fire Lt. James Hyland said

today. "I've worked here for 29 years. It's probably the biggest fire I've seen."

The huge building, used by job seekers and others requiring social service information and

services, is across the street from City Hall.

The blaze was reported shortly after 5:15 p.m., and the response was practically

immediate, with Dunkirk fire headquarters located on Eagle Street, about a block away.

Firefighters confronted heavy smoke and flames on the Lark Street side of the building.

Tenants of the building included the state Department of Labor, Chautauqua Works, Rural

Opportunities, Southern Tier Environments for Living Workforce, Northern Chautauqua County

Offices of the Department of Social Services, Family Court and other private offices,

including a doctor's office and a gymnastics studio.

The building's south wall collapsed and fell on the adjacent Liberty Square building, which

houses county Social Services offices, pancaking the back wall of that building, fire

officials said.

Dunkirk Fire Dispatch requested assistance from Fredonia, Sheridan, Silver Creek, East and

West Town of Dunkirk, Forestville, Westfield, Mayville and Cassadaga, fire officials said.

An aerial ladder targeted the four-story, wood building where the fire started, as pumper

trucks and other fire apparatus were stationed throughout the 300 block of Central to protect

nearby buildings, including the Community Bank offices.

Dr. Susan McNamara, director of the Chautauqua County Workforce Investment Board, the main

leaseholder at 323 Central, said everyone was out of the building when the blaze broke out.

That claim was reiterated by Dunkirk City Council President A.J. Dolce.

The building's tenants experienced a power outage during the workday Wednesday. McNamara

said she was unaware of any connection between the outage and the fire. She also said she

learned the blaze may have started in the basement, near the Lark entrance to the building.

Flames consumed the four-story building and within two hours engulfed nearby buildings. The

OneStop and another of the buildings that burned are owned by Palmer Bryant realty.

Dunkirk fire dispatchers said at least three buildings, where 100 people held jobs, were

affected.

McNamara said job seekers impacted by the building's loss will be redirected to the

Jamestown OneStop.

"We are very grateful that no one was hurt," she said.

She added that the Workforce Investment Board will immediately seek office space in Dunkirk

to get services up and running.

OneStop offices close at 4:30 p.m. each day. Other tenants in the building also included a

martial arts school and other private businesses.

Traffic was brought to a halt within three blocks of the fire scene and smoke was visible

from as far away as Lake Shore Drive near Route 60 in the city.

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