On June 13, 2026, at 2:27 PM, The Clinton Heights Fire Department was dispatched to 3346 River Road for a reported structure fire. Police units from the city of Rensselaer reported seeing a heavy column of smoke off in the distance on River Road to their dispatcher. Multiple callers reported some type of factory or field on fire. Police units arrived on scene and confirmed they had a large machine on fire with mulch piles on fire also. The chief of the Clinton Heights Fire Department requested the city of Rensselaer, Clinton Heights Fire Department for manpower, and the Best Luther Fire Department with their tankers to the scene as officers had a heavily involved piece of machinery that had started to explode on scene.

With a extremely limited water supply on scene and a significant distance between the entryway and the fire location, command requested tankers from South Schodack, Castleton, East Schodack, Schodack Valley, Nassau, East Schodack, West Sand Lake, Defreestville, Stuyvesant, and Averill Park Fire Department to the scene. Command confirmed he had a large sifter on fire and a large pile of mulch on fire. Engine 8-2 arrived on scene and began to knock down the fire in the sifter. As they were doing so truck eight arrived on scene, along with an additional engine and truck company from the city of Rensselaer. With temperatures hovering around 90°F the extreme heat caused issues on scene for firefighters battling the fire.

Firefighter set up a significant tanker operation on River Road as the Best Luther Fire Department fed the scene from the main roadway. Firefighters continue to work knocking down the fire condition in the mulch pile and in the machine and as they were doing so two of the loaders that were working on scene began to have debris inside of the motors catch fire and firefighters switched over to knocking down the fire inside of the motor area. The Defreestville Fire Department set up at 507 South Road to fill tankers for the scene. Multiple cover companies from Rensselaer County began to move south to cover fire departments that were operating on scene.

With the temperatures hovering around 90°F it made it difficult for firefighters to operate on scene. Firefighters continue to work on scene pulling apart portions of the mulch pile and hitting the heavy machinery that was on fire in the middle of the mulch piles. Multiple firefighters from numerous agencies began to arrive on scene and made their way into the scene to assist with the labor-intensive operation. With firefighters exhausted on scene command requested multiple cases of water to be brought down to the scene by the Mountain View Fire Company that was covering the Clinton Heights Fire Department. As firefighters continued to work on scene, the truck company extended the nozzle out over the machinery and began to utilize the master streams to knock down the remaining fire.

As multiple tankers began to arrive on scene a significant water supply was established and within about 30 minutes firefighters had the entire incident under control. Command requested the City of Rensselaer Fire Department fire investigation unit to the scene. Firefighters continue to work for an extended period of time on scene. All units went back into service a few hours after the fire had been extinguished as there was extensive pick up of large diameter hose for the supply line into the scene.