For most buildings that sustained as much fire damage as the Buxton Inn, 2836 Pleasant Ave., Hamburg, did Thursday, the next step would be obvious: demolition.

But as flames lapped at the roofline and smoke blew east toward the Village of Hamburg on Thursday morning, town officials held out the slimmest of hopes the building at the intersection with Southwestern Boulevard could be saved.

"It's a landmark in the town, a building of historic significance," said Hamburg Supervisor Steven Walters. "Certainly if they're able to salvage the front part of the building, I would welcome that. Where the town can help, it will."

Firefighters said the blaze apparently started in the restaurant section of the building, which is in the basement. It has been named Lindy's Buxton Inn and operated by Bill Lindy since 2001.

The cause appears to be accidental, probably due to smoking materials, but the investigation is continuing, said Detective Todd Ehret, a town arson investigator.

Ron Jewitt was already at work at his tax-preparation business in the building when the fire was reported at 6 a.m. He was meeting with a client in first-floor offices above the restaurant.

Jason Lutz, one of tenants, stood watching the fire from the back of the building. He said he had already left for work by 4 a.m. His brother had moved out of the apartments recently, he said.

"We had a working fire when we first pulled on location," said Chad Witkowski, first assistant chief for the Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company, who was in charge. "It took us probably 40 minutes to get it knocked down, under control, to where we could get crews on the inside."

According to an article that appeared in The Buffalo News in 1993, the Italianate-style building was constructed in 1869. Braley Buxton, a New York State Militia captain, built it with clay bricks baked at a kiln on his property — with help from his 15 children.

The house wasn't on any state or federal historic registers, but it was one of the oldest and most distinctive buildings in the town, said Curt Allen, town code enforcement officer.

"This is really a tragedy," Allen said. "But old buildings are probably the most vulnerable to fire. You have the balloon frame." That means there's ground-to-roof framing — and no fire-blocking between floors — so fires can spread quickly.

"The firemen did a helluva job," he said. "They covered the stuff in my office to save as much as possible the records that I have for existing clients.

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