Submitted Photo A fire was reported on Buffalo Street, Gowanda Thursday around 8:20 p.m. No one was found inside.

OBSERVER Staff Report

GOWANDA — A vacant house in the village was damaged by fire Thursday night.

The Gowanda Volunteer Fire Department posted on its Facebook page that it was alerted for a working structure fire at 388 Buffalo St. at approximately 8:20 p.m. Fire crews arrived on scene and observed flames coming from the side of the residence.

According to the department, it was initially reported that a “squatter” may be inside. The house has been vacant for several years.

“Firefighters immediately conducted an extensive interior search of the home, while an attack team also entered the house and extinguished the fire that was located in the second floor bathroom. Firefighters were faced with many hazardous conditions in the residence, some of the floor was missing, and with the thick heavy smoke, made it difficult for the firefighters to see the holes in the floor,” the department wrote.

Firefighters did a quick knock down of the fire and no one was found inside. There were no utilities hooked up to the residence.

Gowanda Fire received automatic mutual aid from the following companies: Perrysburg, Collins, Collins Center, Seneca Fire, Cattaraugus County District 1 Coordinator and Gowanda Ambulance Service. Gowanda Fire was also assisted by Gowanda Police Department and Erie County Sheriff’s Office.

The cause and origin of the incident is under investigation by Gowanda Police and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Fire Investigators.

Gowanda Fire was back in service at 11:50 p.m. Disaster relief from Collins Center was called to board up and secure the premises.