KINDERHOOK, NY — On May 6, 2025, at 5:48 PM, multiple calls were received by the Columbia County Emergency Communications Center reporting a structure fire at 2532 County Route 9H in the Village of Kinderhook, next to Cole’s Collision Center. Two good Samaritans, Robert Skabowski and RJ Skabowski, who were driving by, quickly stopped their vehicle and immediately began checking to ensure no one was inside the building. Due to the heavy smoke conditions, they couldn’t see inside, so they kicked in the front door and discovered a dog. They pulled the dog to safety, and fortunately, it was unharmed.

The Kinderhook Fire Department, along with the Kinderhook Task Force, was dispatched to the scene.

As the first chief responded and made his way to the location, a massive column of black smoke was visible for miles. Upon arrival, the chief found a single-story structure with a commercial garage at the rear. The side of the building was heavily involved, with fire pushing from the structure. A downed power line was also found in front of the building. The chief immediately notified incoming units of the hazard and requested the power company to respond.

Command requested additional resources, including tankers and manpower, from the Ghent Fire Department, Tri-Village Fire Department, South Schodack Fire Department, Stuyvesant Fire Department, and Stuyvesant Falls Fire Department. Firefighters quickly deployed multiple hand lines, including additional 2½-inch lines, and began working to knock down the heavy fire conditions.

As crews advanced, fire rapidly pushed through the center of the garage adjacent to the main structure, sending flames high into the air. The structure next to the garage then erupted in heavy fire, which pushed out from the front of the building.

A tanker fill site was set up near the parking lot of Cole’s Collision Center, and fire police were requested to shut down Route 9H due to fire apparatus and tankers occupying a significant portion of the roadway. Valatie’s ladder truck took a defensive position in the parking lot next to the main fire building, and a supply line was deployed through the lot.

Firefighters connected to a nearby tanker and began supplying water to the ladder truck, which used its master stream to knock down a significant portion of the garage fire.

On the other side of the structure, firefighters deployed additional hand lines and made an aggressive push into the front and side of the main fire building. The heavy fire in the front of the structure began to darken down, but thick, black smoke continued to pour from the structure and roof area.

On the Delta side of the structure, firefighters encountered numerous exploding aerosol cans and other flammable objects. As operations continued, part of the structure collapsed, including debris falling onto connex boxes, complicating access to the burning materials inside.

Using a thermal imaging camera, firefighters inspected the contents of the connex boxes and discovered multiple acetylene and oxygen tanks. Hand lines were used to quickly cool them down. In the rear of the structure, crews also cooled a 500-gallon propane tank for a short period. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to intensify inside the main structure due to the combustible contents.

Once the power company secured the downed power lines and the nearby power source, it was safe for crews to operate in front of the structure. Firefighters deployed an additional master stream and began flowing water into the building from the front.

For an extended period, firefighters used defensive tactics to bring the incident under control. Command brought in an excavator to pull apart sections of the structure, allowing access to deep-seated fire. Firefighters extinguished remaining hot spots and began extensive overhaul of the building and its contents.

No firefighter injuries were reported. Crews remained on scene into the late evening hours to complete overhaul operations. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.