Rumors swirl over mobile home park fire

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) - A suspicious fire has hit a troubled Niagara Falls mobile home park that was previously the target of mass eviction orders.

The fire gutted the business office at Sabre Park. Officials estimate damage at $100,000 to the building and office equipment inside.

Niagara Active Hose Chief Dan Hosie said, "We got a report of a building fire here, got here, and got the fire knocked down right away."

Figuring out the cause of the fire might be easier than finding out what is happening with Sabre Park itself, a mobile home park owned by Sabre Park Associates of Rochester, which is in bankruptcy court. Just last year Sabre Park Associates was telling tenants they had to get out, or be evicted. Now they are offering new leases, but for some it is too late

The sudden notices sparked protests by the mobile home tenants, last summer. Many of the mobile homes are older and cannot be moved.

The tenants own their homes, and pay rent on the lots, so if they were forced to move, they have to leave their homes behind. Ray Mang's home has been in his family for almost 40 years, and he is surprised he is now being offered a new lease.

"They don't tell you anything. If I sign a lease, I will at least be here for a year," he said.

Just last week, the Town of Niagara's building inspector condemned 130 of the abandoned trailers - more than half of what is left - and town officials are contemplating tearing many of the empty mobile homes down.

Town of Niagara Councilman Dan Sklarski said, "Before we go tearing down anyone's home, or mobile home, that it is done legally, correctly, and all parties are protected, including the residents that currently live there."

Niagara's Town Council is meeting Tuesday night to adopt a resolution directing the town's engineer, attorney, and building department to devise a plan for tearing down property that has become a nuisance or public safety hazard.