WATERVLIET, NY - On October 2nd at 1:13 P.M., multiple calls came in to the Albany County Emergency Communications Center for a well involved structure fire at 1222 6th Avenue.

The City of Watervliet Fire Department, along with the Watervliet Arsenal, Green Island, and the City of Cohoes Fire Departments were called to the scene. The City of Watervliet FD confirmed that a heavy column of black smoke was visible from multiple blocks away.

On arrival, firefighters had a well involved structure fire with heavy fire in the front of the structure and heavy fire pushing from the roof. Crews immediately declared the Signal 30 for a working structure fire and transmitted a second-alarm, bringing the City of Albany’s Fire Department to the scene.

Firefighters deployed a one-and-three-quarter inch line to the front of the structure and began to knock down the heavy fire condition before making entry. Watervliet Arsenal firefighters arrived on scene and put their truck company to the roof to vent the structure vertically. As heavy fire blew from the roof, firefighters made an aggressive push into the first floor of the structure. Firefighters grabbed the large diameter hose off of Watervliet Arsenal's truck company and began to back lay it by hand to the nearest fire hydrant located at the end of the street.

As additional crews arrived on scene, firefighters made their way into the structure and conducted a primary search of the first and second floors while other firefighters brought another hand line inside as crews on the first floor made an aggressive interior attack. While horizontal ventilation was conducted in the rear of the structure, command was able to confirm that everyone had made it safely out of the building. As firefighters worked inside the structure, conditions began rapidly changing and heavy fire started to blow through several locations in the roof, forcing Command to order the evacuation of all firefighters inside the structure.

Within one minute of the evacuation, Watervliet Truck 1 was ready for full master stream operations and quickly began to knock down the heavy fire condition in the roof area. Crews quickly regrouped and made their way back inside the structure to continue to conduct a primary search of the structure. Firefighters deployed another hand line into the structure and began to knock down all remaining fire on the second floor. Firefighters in the front of the structure began to hit hot spots in the roof line area and on the front and side of the structure.

Command had the truck company shut down the master streams in the bucket, and crews utilized a ladder to make their way up into the attic area where a firefighter utilized a hand line to knock down all remaining visible fire.

The City of Albany’s fire department arrived on scene, but was placed back into service a short time later as firefighters were only conducting overhaul of the heavily damaged home, which was deemed a complete loss. Firefighters continued to conduct overhaul for an extended period of time.

Fire Investigators have not yet been able to determine the cause of the fire due to the extent of damage. No injuries were reported.