2nd Alarm House Fire With Reported Entrapment In Troy

On September 3, 2026, at 11:51PM, the city of Troy‘s Fire Department was dispatched to 902 5th Ave. for a reported structure fire. The caller reported the back of the house was on fire with people still inside. Engine one, truck one, truck two, engine four, engine two, medic four, the rescue squad, and the battalion chief was dispatched to the scene. The caller called back and stated the occupants will not get out of the house. Engine one notified the dispatcher that they had a column of smoke visible coming down Northern Drive to transmit the signal thirty. Engine one’s Captain transmitted the second alarm for entrapment as they had people still inside of the structure. The City of Cohoes’s Fire Department, Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department and engine six responded to the scene.

Firefighters had a heavy smoke condition pushing from the back of the structure and firefighters made their way inside of the structure and got all of the occupants out of the home safely. Firefighters made their way to the second floor where they had a heavy smoke condition pushing from the front vent in the attic and firefighters made their way to the rear of the structure where they discovered the powerline coming into the home was touching the siding and had caught the siding on fire and was arcing. Command requested national grid to the scene and to expedite.

Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire condition in the rear of the structure and vented the attic. Firefighters in the front of the structure from the truck company notified command that the attic was clear and it was only filled with smoke from the fire in the rear of the building but had minor extension to the inside portion of the attic where the wire was coming into the house. Firefighters in the front of the structure established a water supply. As firefighters were working inside of the building, the powerline in the rear of the structure was letting off significant power flashes. Command confirmed with the occupant of the structure that there was no injuries.

Firefighters continued to conduct overhaul on scene and national grid arrived on scene and killed the power to the rear of the house from the pole. Due to the quick actions of the civilian that was being vigilant that evening he is credited with his actions of attempting to get the family out before the fire could consume the home. Fire Investigator arrived on scene to investigate the fire. The Red Cross was contacted for the family inside of the home. Firefighters went back into service a little after 1 AM.