06/17/2026
At approximately noon today, we were dispatched to Nortera Foods for a reported large ammonia leak. Upon investigation, it was determined that a compressor had failed and was compromised, allowing a significant amount of ammonia to leak directly into the building.
Plant employees took immediate action and evacuated the entire facility prior to our arrival. Bergen Fire, along with the Genesee County HazMat Team, responded and established a safety perimeter while crews assessed the situation and worked through the safest way to stop the leak.
Due to extremely high ammonia levels inside the building, the facility had to be ventilated before crews could safely enter the affected area and shut the valve off. Once conditions improved, crews were able to complete the operation safely.
Overall, the incident went very well. This is the exact type of emergency we have trained for at Nortera every year for several decades, and today’s response followed the plan and training that have been built over that time.
We also understand that there are residents who are upset or concerned about how notifications were handled. We understand those concerns. As the fire department, we don’t control mass notification systems for residents. Our role was to secure the immediate hazard area, and with the assistance of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department and New York State Police, shut down the roads directly affected by the incident. We’re hopeful this event helps strengthen the notification process for residents moving forward.
Most importantly, we’re happy to report that there were no injuries to plant personnel, fire personnel, or village residents. The building was turned back over to the Nortera team shortly after 6:00 p.m.
Thank you to Nortera employees, Genesee County Emergency Services, the City of Batavia Fire Department, NY, law enforcement, and all responding personnel for their work during today’s incident.
We’d also like to thank the Brockport Fire District and the LeRoy Fire Department - LeRoy, NY for covering our district throughout the duration of the event.
