Port Gibson fire closes Route 31

A suspicious fire in Port Gibson shut down part of Route 31 on Sunday and sent one fire fighter to the hospital, according to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office.Deputies in Ontario County say that emergency crews responded to a house fire located at 4863 Route 31 in Port Gibson around 5:21 pm. When deputies arrived, they described heavy black smoke blowing across Route 31, which resulted in the roadway being shutdown for a period of hours as crews from Port Gibson, Clifton Springs, Manchester, Palmyra, and Newark all worked to contain the blaze.The fire caught nearby power lines on fire, which resulted in 600 losing power Sunday evening. NYSEG was able to restore power when the fire was put out. However, the house was a total loss. According to deputies, the house was both vacant and condemned at the time of the fire. Deputies also say that one fire fighter was sent to Newark Hospital with a wrist injury from the scene, and that the investigation into the cause is ongoing. Authorities have labeled the fire as “suspicious in nature.” The Ontario County Fire Coordinator, as well as the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office are both working on the investigation at this time.FingerLakes1.com will have more information as it becomes available.