The Bern Furniture Fire: On June 4, 1951 fire destroyed the former Bern Furniture Store on the west side of Pulteney Park, which currently houses The Connection Teen Dance Hall. Fire Chief, Edgar Erway mustered up assistance from six area departments to assist Bath Firefighters with the early evening blaze, whcih broke out around 6:30 p.m. Bath firefighters were praised for saving the nearby Masonic Temple, as well as the Longwell Lumber Company positioned close to the burning furniture store. At the height of the blaze it is reported that fire fighter James Covell climbed ladders to connect cables to the building so firefighters could pull the walls to the street in order to save the surrounding buildings. Firefighters were hampered by the construction of the old building having several layers of roofing over a tin base. The fire quickly spread from street level to the upper floors eventually breaking through the roof, with much of the building being on the ground by 9:30 p.m. . Village utilities estimated that nearly 600,000 gallons of water were used to fight the blaze.
Mossy Bank Fire: During October of 1963 a small brush fire got out of control and rushed up the hillside south of town. Nearly 300 acres of land eventually become involved as hundreds of firefighters, volunteers and State Forest Rangers fought this stubborn blaze for more than three days. At one point on the second day of the fire it was measured 1 mile wide by 4 miles in circumference. Several methods were used to extinguish the fire including bulldozer, grader and even a fixed wing air plane, which dropped a reported 4,000 gallons of water over the fire. Thousands of area residents gathered along the flood control dikes on the south side of the Village to witness the once in a life time event. Although this event was disastrous at the time the following year the Village of Bath appropriated $1,700 to purchase part of the property effected to build a municipal recreation area. Today Mossy Bank Park is a beautiful facility with a great view of the Village from high above.
The M & R Restaurant Fire: On the chilly morning of December 7, 1978, Bath firefighters were summonsed to a fire at the M & R Restaurant on Liberty Street in the Village. When firefighters arrived on the scene around 5:45 a.m. they found the fire already well advanced. Fire Chief, Spencer Longwell called mutual aid assistance from Savona, Hammondsport and Painted Post. Firefighters were successful in saving the adjoining structures with only minor damage, however the interior of the M & R building was completely destroyed. (The M & R Restaurant was located in the building currently housed by the Wooden Nickel)
The Empey Building Fire: One of Bath's most deadliest fires occurred on April 1, 1980, when fire destroyed the Liberty street building know as the Empey Block. The deadly fire killed two tenants of an upstairs apartment and injured several firefighters when a backdraft explosion occurred just after firefighters arrived on scene shortly after midnight. Although this fire was devastating it could have been worse, firefighters and Police Officers were able to rescue several tenants just before the explosion.