Fire destroys Bauman's Farm Market building in Wednesday blaze

A fire destroyed the main market building at Bauman's Farm Market & Greenhouses early Wednesday morning. The family farm business has roots on both sides of the Webster-Penfield line.

The blaze broke out around 2:30 a.m. at 1340 Five Mile Line Road, near Plank Road. The property carries a Webster, NY 14580 mailing address and the 200-acre farm spans both towns, but the market building itself sits in Penfield. West Webster Fire Department led the response, backed by mutual aid from several area departments as strong winds pushed the fire to a second alarm. Roughly 60 first responders worked the scene for several hours.

No injuries were reported, according to the family and news coverage of the fire.

"On July 22, our Farm Market building was destroyed by a fire. We are incredibly grateful that everyone is safe," the Bauman family said in a statement posted to the business's website, thanking firefighters, EMS and law enforcement.

Bauman's has operated as a family farm and market since 1908, with the current generation running it since 1984. Daniel Bauman, the owner's son, described watching the building burn.

"It's like losing an old friend," he said. "I saw a building engulfed in flames... it was kind of too late to do anything."

A longtime employee at the market said the loss goes beyond the business. "It's not just a store, it's a home," she said. A neighbor said simply, "I am sad and heartbroken."

The cause of the fire has not been determined and remains under investigation.

What's still unknown

Investigators have not yet named a cause. The extent of the damage beyond the main market building, including whether an adjacent barn was also lost, has not been consistently confirmed across accounts. Early indications suggest the farm's greenhouses and equipment were largely spared, but that assessment is preliminary. The family has said it is taking things one step at a time and has not announced rebuild plans.

AI tools were used in drafting and research.