TROY, NY – On January 4, 2026, at 3:12 AM, Engine Four responded to 6 102nd Street for a reported fire alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and immediately transmitted a Signal 30 for a working structure fire, followed by a second alarm due to the size of the commercial building and fire showing from multiple sides and the roof.

Units responding included Engine One, Engine Two, Engine Six, Truck One, Truck Two, the Rescue Squad, Medic Three, Medic Four, the Battalion Chief, Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department, Green Island Fire Department, and the City of Watervliet Fire Department. Engine Four accessed the building via the Knox Box and encountered heavy black smoke. Firefighters connected to a hydrant at 2nd Avenue and 102nd Street as fire broke through the Charlie and Delta sides of the building near the playground. Hand lines were immediately deployed while truck companies positioned strategically and water supplies were established.

Fire conditions worsened quickly, with smoke showing from all sides and fire pushing through the roof in multiple locations. Truck crews reported heavy fire around rooftop air conditioning units. Command declared defensive operations. Mutual aid units established water supply lines, including a supply from Watervliet Arsenal’s engine down Sixth Avenue.

Master stream operations were initiated as fire spread through the roof, but water supply issues arose due to an undersized 8-inch main feeding two truck companies. Firefighters used multiple 2½-inch hand lines to attack the Delta side while fire blew through the roof in the rear. Foam insulation pouring from the ceiling created hazardous conditions resembling burning gasoline.

On the Alpha-Delta corner, fire consumed entire rooms, and roof collapse was reported. Fire pushed from the Charlie-Bravo side, with insulation and fire spreading rapidly through offices. A rooftop air conditioning unit collapsed, sending a massive plume of black smoke. At the 70-minute mark, three master streams, six hand lines, and multiple ground monitors were in operation. Fire continued to extend through side doors and windows, with heavy smoke and embers filling the sky. Snow and freezing temperatures caused water to freeze on streets and equipment. National Grid secured power for safety.

By 9:35 AM, the bulk of the heavy fire was under control. Firefighters focused on hotspots and overhaul, with relief crews arriving after over seven hours of operations. The Local 86 Troy Firefighters Union provided coffee, donuts, and bananas to crews.

Command requested the New York State Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Fire Prevention and Control fire investigators. No injuries were reported. The Kathryn Allen Building, owned by Unity House of Troy, was used for non-residential domestic and sexual violence services. The fire had likely gained a significant head start before the alarm system activated. The building did not have a sprinkler system, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.