Three Dead Following Three-Alarm Fire on 13th Street In Troy

On September 27, 2026, at approximately 9:35 p.m., the City of Troy Fire Department was dispatched to 2216 13th Street for multiple reports of a house fire with people trapped inside. Engine 2, Truck 2, Engine 4, Engine 6, the Rescue Squad, Battalion Chief and Medic 4 were dispatched to the scene.

As multiple calls began pouring into the Rensselaer County Emergency Communication Center, Engine 2 arrived to heavy fire conditions pushing from front door and immediately transmitted the signal thirty for a working structure fire with confirmed entrapment. The Battalion Chief quickly transmitted the second alarm, bringing firefighters from the Engine three of the city of Troy to the scene, Watervliet Arsenal, Watervliet and Green Island Fire Departments to the scene.

Firefighters from Engine 2 immediately deployed an inch-and-three-quarter handline to the front door as heavy fire pushed out over the firefighters. With reports of people trapped, Troy firefighters made an aggressive push through the front door, beginning an interior attack on the first floor and search. While pushing through the first floor, firefighters located a victim down in the hallway. Firefighters on the handline called for the line to be charged. Crews immediately radioed command that they had a victim and quickly removed the individual through the front door and down the stairs. Command notified the dispatcher to call the hospital that the victim was coming in a few minutes via medic four to be ready. As additional firefighters arrived, crews raced inside and pushed their way to the second floor. Firefighters encountered extremely heavy heat and complete blackout conditions, with thick smoke banked all the way down to the floor.

With multiple victims still reported inside, crews continued an aggressive interior search as firefighters on the first floor worked to knock down the heavy fire. Firefighters located the one of victims and got them outside and raced to medic three and firefighters told the dispatcher to notify the hospital they are coming in with a pediatric to be ready. As the medic four left the scene, firefighters on the second-floor notified command they had another victim and numerous firefighters quickly worked together to remove the victim from the second floor and out of the burning building, where life-saving measures were immediately started. Hearing the urgency and radio traffic coming from the fire, a Watervliet Fire Department officer requested their ambulance to the scene along with Mohawk Ambulance Service. Another victim had also escaped the fire by jumping from a second-floor window.

Command transmitted a third alarm, bringing additional resources from the City of Albany Fire Department into Troy to assist with coverage as the incident continued. Firefighters deployed multiple ground ladders and opened the roof to ventilate the building, allowing superheated gases and heavy smoke to escape. Crews operating on the second floor requested an additional handline after discovering fire extension and were able to knock down the remaining fire.

With Samaritan Hospital less than two blocks away, crews conducted rapid transports before returning to the scene. A Life Net helicopter was requested for the burn victims but was unable to fly because of weather conditions.

After bringing the fire under control, firefighters continued working throughout the structure and began extensive overhaul operations. Crews opened up areas of the building and conducted a thorough search for any remaining fire and hidden hot spots to make sure the fire had not extended into concealed areas of the home.

The fire claimed the lives of Dominick Rizzo Jr. and his fiancée, Alicia. Their daughter, Abigail Rizzo, was transported to the Westchester Burn Center, where she passed away on September 28, 2026. Dominick Rizzo III suffered minor injuries and was transported to Albany Medical Center. During the secondary search, firefighters located seven dogs deceased on the first floor. Two additional dogs managed to escape the fire, and quick-thinking neighbors were able to grab them and turn them over to police. Two Troy firefighters also suffered burns while conducting the primary search under the intense conditions on the second floor. Both firefighters were transported to the hospital and later released.

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control was requested to the scene to investigate the fire. Troy firefighters remained on 13th Street for an extended period, continuing overhaul operations and searching the structure for remaining hot spots before crews finally returned to service at approximately 12:09 a.m.

The rapid removal of the trapped occupants was carried out by several members of the City of Troy Fire Department operating under extremely difficult conditions. Captain K.Miller, Captain G. Genthner, Captain J. Kardash and Firefighter M. Ducharme, Firefighter T. Halpin, Firefighter J. Putnam, Firefighter J. Lucy, Firefighter K. Ratigan and Lieutenant J. Collins worked together to remove the victims from the structure. Their actions were part of an aggressive and coordinated search operation that resulted in all three trapped victims being located and removed within approximately five minutes and 30 seconds. The fire once again showed the aggressive nature of the men and women of the City of Troy Fire Department. Troy firefighters are well known throughout the Capital Region for their aggressive interior firefighting tactics and their willingness to push into difficult conditions when lives are believed to be trapped inside. Even while operating with limited manpower, Troy’s firefighters train to make a fast interior attack while crews aggressively search ahead of and around the fire for victims. Those tactics were put to the test on 13th Street. Firefighters pushed through heavy fire at the front door, extreme heat and zero visibility while knowing multiple people remained trapped inside. Instead of backing away from those conditions, crews pushed forward, attacking the fire while other members searched the first and second floors.

Two Troy firefighters suffered burns during that push, showing just how intense the conditions were inside the home. From the initial aggressive interior attack and rapid searches to roof ventilation, additional handlines, victim removal and the extensive overhaul that followed, Troy firefighters worked through every stage of the incident with determination to protect the residents of the City of Troy. When victims are trapped and every second counts, Troy firefighters have shown time and time again that they are willing to make an aggressive push and give those victims every possible chance of making it out.