Multi-Building Fire on Garfield Place in Albany Quickly Contained by Firefighters

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder PhotographyAlbany firefighters work on scene as heavy smoke pushes from three buildings on Garfield Place.

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder PhotographyFirefighters From The Truck Company Put A Master Stream In To The Attic

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder PhotographyHeavy fire breaks through the front of the building along with the attic.

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder Photography

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder Photography

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder Photography

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder PhotographyAn Albany Firefighter puts water in the second floor of the main fire building.

Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder Photography
ALBANY, NY – On December 12, 2025, at 8:22 PM, multiple calls were received reporting a structure fire at 13 Garfield Place. Engine One, Engine Seven, Engine Ten, Truck Three, Truck Two, Rescue One, the Rescue Squad, the Battalion Chief, and Mohawk Ambulance Service responded. Police arrived first, reporting heavy fire in the rear and multiple buildings involved, and began evacuating occupants.
Based on the initial report, the Battalion Chief transmitted a Signal 30. Engine Seven confirmed heavy fire on both sides of the primary structure and requested a second alarm. Engine Two, Engine Eleven, Truck Four, and Rescue Two responded. Firefighters established water supply, deployed hand lines, and aggressively attacked the rear fire.
The fire extended to neighboring buildings at 15, 17, and 19 Garfield Place, with attic and structural involvement. Primary searches confirmed all occupants were safely out, though firefighters faced extreme heat, heavy smoke, and structural collapse in parts of the buildings. Truck One was requested to provide a rapid intervention crew. Additional hydrants were secured to supply master streams and deck guns.
One victim was transported by Mohawk Ambulance Service. Fire conditions worsened in attics and walls, prompting temporary evacuations of firefighters while master streams and roof ventilation were used to knock down heavy fire. Mutual aid from Watervliet, Green Island, and Watervliet Arsenal Fire Departments assisted in the operation, with additional rapid intervention crews established.
Firefighters continued interior and exterior operations, successfully containing the fire, conducting extensive overhaul, and chasing hotspots until late morning. No injuries were reported. Fire investigators are currently working to determine the cause, which has not yet been released.