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State of Emergency lifted in Lackawanna

Chris Caya WBFO News

The City of Lackawanna has lifted a state of emergency that was declared 12 days ago during the massive fire at the former Bethlehem Steel plant. Officials who toured the site Monday are still waiting for the final price tag. 

  
Along with lifting the state of emergency, Lackawanna Mayor Geoffrey Szymanski says, the former Bethlehem Steel plant along Route 5 is being turned back over to the property owner. Szymanski says, the city's costs are still being tallied. 

"We put the call in for emergency demolition. And we racked up about $500,000 in demolition costs and $100,000 in overtime costs. And that's going to continue accruing as more events unfold," Szymanski said.  
 
He also thanked the Buffalo Fire Department for providing mutual-aid. Mayor Byron Brown says Buffalo will not be sending Lackawanna a bill.  
    
"But certainly we are in the tens of thousands of dollars that have been calculated already for the mutual aid that the city of Buffalo has provided," Brown said.  
 
Senator Tim Kennedy and Assembly members Sean Ryan and Michael Kearns say they expect Albany will help the cities cover the unexpected cost of the fire. The cause remains under investigation.       
    
 

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