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Aggressive Fire Tactics Make Fast Work of Troy Apartment Building Fire

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February 07, 2023 | NEW YORK JEFFREY BELSCHWINDER, Senior Correspondent
This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

TROY, NY - On February 7th at 1:54 A.M., the Rensselaer County Emergency Communication Center began taking multiple calls for a reported structure fire on the second floor at 3004 6th Avenue. Engines 2, 1 and 6, along with the rescue squad, Truck 2 and Medic 4, were dispatched on the initial alarm. 


Engine 2 quickly arrived on scene and immediately transmitted the Signal 30, followed by the battalion chief calling for the second-alarm, bringing the city of Watervliet FD and Watervliet Arsenal FD to the scene as they had a report of people still inside the building. As firefighters hopped out of the engine, they had heavy fire pushing from the second floor windows of the building and extending into the third floor area.


Firefighters deployed a one-and-three-quarter inch hand line and made their way into the building. As the battalion chief made his way to the rear of the building, he notified the dispatcher that all of the occupants were accounted for in the backyard. As firefighters reached the top of the landing and opened up the door, heavy fire was blowing through the entire apartment. Firefighters called the pump operator of Engine 2 to charge the line. Firefighters arriving on scene from the other engine companies connected to the fire hydrant on the corner.


Additional firefighters pushed their way past the crews on the second floor landing and made their way to the third floor, where the heavy fire condition from the second floor was extending into the windows and apartment above. Firefighters deployed another hand line past the crews on the second floor to the third floor. Firefighters on the second floor immediately began to make an aggressive push inside the apartment, quickly driving back the fire. As firefighters made their way towards the front of the apartment the stream of water blew out the windows into the streets. After firefighters from Medic 1 cleared the EMS call, they raced back to Station 1 and brought Truck 1 to the scene.


Firefighters on the third floor also made an aggressive push inside of the apartment and quickly knocked down the heavy fire condition. Firefighters began pulling the ceilings around where the fire had expanded into and knocked down the remaining hotspots. The deadman windows on the building had been severely compromised. As firefighters were working to overhaul around them, they collapsed onto the stairwell and sidewalk below. Command notified all firefighters working around the deadman windows to use extreme caution, as they all had been compromised. Firefighters continued to conduct extensive overhaul of the badly damaged building. Crews from the mutual aid companies assisted firefighters with overhaul and ventilation.


No injuries were reported, and firefighters went back into service two hours later. The fire is under investigation at this time.

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JEFFREY BELSCHWINDERSenior Correspondent

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