Tuscarora Indian Reservation Fire Destroys Two Businesses

SANBORN, N.Y. (WIVB) – Huge flames reduced two businesses to ashes on the Tuscarora Indian reservation overnight.

There’s a lot of uncertainty Tuesday afternoon on the reservation for the business owners as the fire completely destroyed two businesses, around 1 a.m. Given their surroundings, it was amazing the fire didn’t become even more serious.

The flames were already massive when firefighters got on the scene, and to make things worse, the Tuscarora Propane Company had several bottles and containers of the gas just feet from the fire.

The Sanborn Fire Company had to act quickly to keep the flames from the massive tank.

Sanborn Fire Company Chief Tom Hoover said, “Pretty much everybody knows if you see propane tanks here, your number one thing there is keep that cool, try to keep the fire away from that end.”

The volunteer firefighters were able to get the flames under control in about 40 minutes, but both the propane business and the Indian Gift Shop next door were completely destroyed.

A portion of Tuscarora Propane used to have two stories, but the force of the fire completely destroyed the structure and collapsed the building.

The owner of the Indian Craft Store opened the shop more than ten years ago and besides losing the store, she was even more devastated about losing what was inside.

“My grandson is a dancer and his regalia was inside, he uses eagle feathers, and that was all inside,” said Elaine, of Mt. Pleasant Indian Craft Store. “A lot of the authentic carvings that people have done. There was quite a few things in there, I had that people had passed on now, I had it in the store, the art work and everything so that’s the sad part.”

Tuesday morning, the building’s owner said he’d like to rebuild, the Indian Craft Store owner would also like to replace her lost shop.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Copyright WIVB.com