Four-alarm fire damages Hudson restaurant, neighboring buildings
HUDSON, N.Y. (Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025) — A four-alarm fire tore through the Wunderbar Bistro on Warren Street on Saturday, heavily damaging the restaurant and spreading into neighboring buildings before firefighters brought it under control, officials said.
The blaze was reported around 1:30 p.m. at 744 Warren St. Hudson Fire Chief Shawn Hoffman arrived to find heavy smoke and declared a working fire, immediately striking a second alarm. Crews from Greenport Fire and Catskill Fire joined Hudson firefighters on scene.
Engine 30-25 deployed hand lines into the restaurant’s kitchen, where heavy fire was located. Crews also searched the third floor after a report of a missing occupant. No people were found, but firefighters rescued a cat that was treated by paramedics.
Fire quickly extended through roof vents and walls into the third floor and cocklofts of both 744 and 742 Warren St. Commanders escalated the response to a third and then fourth alarm, drawing in units from Claverack, Athens, Stottville, Germantown, Stuyvesant and Chatham. Additional companies from Livingston, Niverville and Copake covered Hudson’s stations during the incident.
At one point, a partial roof collapse in the kitchen cut off a firefighter from his partner. The firefighter assist and search team (FAST) deployed and safely located the member, who was uninjured. Command briefly switched to defensive operations, allowing ladder trucks to hit the upper cocklofts before crews reentered to complete suppression and overhaul.
Fire officials said 744 Warren sustained extensive damage. The neighboring building at 742 Warren suffered heavy fire damage to the third floor and cockloft, along with smoke and water damage throughout, while 746 Warren sustained minor damage.
The Hudson Police Department and New York State Homeland Security fire investigators are handling the cause and origin investigation.
Mayor Kamal Johnson, city code enforcement, Columbia County fire and EMS coordinators, and the Red Cross assisted at the scene. Fire officials also thanked residents and business owners who brought bottled water to support firefighters.
While en route to Hudson, Stottville Fire’s Engine 50-21 diverted to extinguish a dumpster fire at 708 State St., ensuring coverage of other emergencies during the incident.
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