The Conklin Fire Department responded to a large house fire around 7:30 Friday evening. When they arrived to the scene on Banta Rd. the fire was going strong.


"The front of the house was fully involved when we got on the scene.The home owners were out in the road away from the house by the time crews got onto the scene. This was an old school house, probably one of the oldest buildings in Conklin. With the type of construction, the fire just took off up to the walls in the building. It was pretty much going pretty good by the time our first truck got here," said Bill Gorman, Fire Chief of the Conklin Fire Department.


Smoke took over the entire area and surrounding neighbors were out of their houses taking photos with their phones, and trying to see what was going on.


The fire seemed to calm down at times and then would just pick back up.


The fire department eventually had to bring out, what they call a tower to try and hose the flames down from above the house. The fire chief said seven fire departments responded to the incident He also said that the elderly couple who resided at the home opened a door and noticed fire in the kitchen

but they were able to escape.


The couple was taken to the hospital for observation but did not sustain any serious injuries.


The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.