Flooding, possible electrical fire destroys home in Wheatfield

WHEATFIELD, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A Niagara County man can't live in his home anymore since it was in the middle of flood waters. While flooding damaged the house, something else destroyed it.

The home that was severely damaged is just off of Niagara Falls Boulevard in Wheatfield. It was flooded out, then caught on fire.

The tenant there sent News 4 some video inside and outside of this home -- snowmelt, rain, and runoff from a nearby creek flooded this home on Friday and then on Sunday. The homeowner suspects the water caused an electrical issue and doesn't know what to do next.

"Right now, they are devastated, they don't have a clue what they're going to do, how they're going to do it. They haven't even talked to the investigator, the fire investigators yet because they're the ones who are going to tell them what is happening and the insurance and whatnot," said the property manager Bruce, who would only give us his first name.

The fire is under investigation.

People in Wheatfield are calling on the town to conduct a dredging project on this creek to clear it of debris.

"They can do their study all they want, but all they got to do is walk over and look over the bank and they'll see the garbage, the trees, the branches, the cattails that are just piled up for years and the water can't move, it can't flow away from the area like it's supposed to," Bruce said.

No word yet from the town on whether it would do that.

A Gofundme has been set up to help the tenant at the home.