Cortland, NY - On March 24, the Cortlandville Fire Department and the Homer Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at C.A.R.S. Auto Repair on Route 11 in the Town of Cortlandville. Deputies from the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, already nearby on another call, were first to arrive and found the building heavily involved in flames.

A second alarm was promptly issued, bringing additional firefighting resources to the scene. Firefighters worked for approximately one hour to bring the blaze under control, contending with challenges caused by a structural collapse during the incident.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Spill Response Team also responded to evaluate and manage water runoff generated from firefighting efforts.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including the Homer Fire Department, McGraw Fire Department, Neptune Hose Company No. 1 of Dryden Inc., Dryden Ambulance Inc., the City of Cortland Fire Department, the Cortland County Department of Emergency Response and Communications, TLC EMS, and the Town of Cortlandville Highway Department. The Virgil Fire Department and Marathon Fire Department provided standby coverage while crews operated on site.

Route 11 was closed between Fisher Avenue and the Village of Homer line for the duration of the incident.

No injuries were reported. The structure was deemed a total loss, along with more than a dozen vehicles. Fire crews remained on scene throughout the day as the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control continued its investigation into the cause of the fire.