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Second Suspected Arson at Vacant Home in North Greenbush

This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

NORTH GREENBUSH, NY - A vacant house caught fire for the second time in recent months back in August.

Firefighters were called to 700 Bloomingrove Dr. on Friday, August 26th, just before 11:00 P.M. for numerous calls for an active structure fire.

“The crews arrived to a fire that was heavily involved with fire through the second floor,” said Chief William Burkart of the Defreestville Fire Department.

Crews immediately transmitted a second-alarm, bringing in additional resources to the scene.

Due to the heavy fire involvement in the structure and the home being vacant and on fire months earlier, crews did not make entry to the building and fought the fire with an exterior attack only.

Burkart says it took approximately one-and-a-half hours to get the fire under control. This is the second time this home has been on fire since May, he said.

“It’s a vacant building,” he said. “Nobody has been there for years.”

The home sat on the corner of Bloomingrove Drive and Washington Avenue Ext. He said it has been vacant since the owner passed away many years ago. The fire back on May 26th was a case of suspected arson, as well as this most recent fire, Burkart said.

“It’s the same suspected issues over and over again,” he said. “The owner of the property came in and had the house torn down because it was structurally unstable.”

Defreestville, Wynantskill, Best Luther, Clinton Heights, and East Greenbush Fire Departments responded to the scene.

There was a fire hydrant right on the corner next to the house, so Burkart says there were no difficulties getting water to the scene. There were no injuries reported on the scene.

The North Greenbush Police Department is asking if anyone was in that area between 10:15 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. on Friday, August 26th, to call 518-283-5323 and speak with either Detective Walsh or Detective Stehr.

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THOMAS MARRA Correspondent

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