— August 18, 2026 — At at 9:21 p.m. on Tuesday, Columbia County 911 sent the fire department and Greenport Rescue Squad to go to a reported building fire at 201 Warren Street. A tenant had returned to the residence to get animals, according to dispatchers.

When Shawn Hoffman, the department chief, arrived, he reported a working fire with visible smoke.

Truck Company 32-55 and Engine Company 30-25 started working right away to find the fire and carry out primary searches.

Heavy smoke and heat banked down close to the floor were encountered by firefighters when they extended a 2-inch handline into the second-story flat. A different team looked for inhabitants. The fire was located in the kitchen at the rear of the apartment. Crews used the handline to knock down and control the fire.

According to the department, approximately nine minutes elapsed from dispatch until the fire was contained and overhaul operations were underway. One occupant was treated by Greenport Rescue paramedics for smoke inhalation.

Two cats were inside the apartment when the fire occurred. One cat was found deceased inside the residence. The kitchen sustained heavy fire damage, while the remainder of the apartment sustained heat and smoke damage.