Town of Evans Police Department

≤ On Dec. 4 at approximately 9:55 p.m., patrol responded to a structure fire on Peppertree Drive. Upon arrival, all occupants and pets were evacuated. A wood stove fire was going and the chimney area was on fire. Highland Hose, North Evans, Evans Center, Lake Erie Beach, Angola, Brant, Lakeview, and AMR 562 fire departments all arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire was determined to be a build up of debris in the chimney and a cracked chimney liner.

≤On Dec. 7 at roughly 8:29 a.m., the fire alarm was activated at Lake Shore High School. Patrol was informed by the principal that a chemical reaction in a chemistry class set off the smoke detector. Patrol responded to the origin of the smoke, as custodians and the school district assistant superintendent opened windows to ventilate the building. The building was otherwise evacuated. Evans Center Engine 2 responded and firefighters continued ventilation, while patrol interviewed the teacher. The cause of the alarm was determined to be a chemistry experiment, wherein the teacher used a new bottle of the chemical in question. The teacher used the same dose as he had in the past with an older bottle, leading him to believe the new bottle was more potent, and he’d used too much. Students, faculty, and staff were cleared to re-enter the building at 8:51 a.m.

≤ On Dec. 7 at around 3:58 p.m., patrol arrested Michael A. Ortiz, 17, of Evans on an arrest warrant from the city of Buffalo. The warrant was issued on Nov. 30 for second degree harassment. Ortiz was taken to Evans Police Department before being turned over to the Buffalo Police Department.