Cat Rescued from Colonie Home with Heavy Fire on Arrival
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/ Sidewinder PhotographyOne of the chiefs from the Latham FD brings out the rescued cat from the house.
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/ Sidewinder PhotographyFirefighters from Halfmoon-Waterford hitting hot spots on the outside of the home.
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/ Sidewinder Photography
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/ Sidewinder Photography
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/ Sidewinder Photography
Photo by Jeffrey Belschwinder/Sidewinder Photography
COLONIE, NY — On November 11, 2025, at 7:11 a.m., the Boght Fire Company, Latham Fire Department, Colonie Village Fire Company (FAST Team), Verdoy Fire Department, Halfmoon-Waterford Fire Department, and Colonie Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to 543 Columbia Street Extension for a reported structure fire. The caller reported that the house was on fire.
The first arriving chief on scene notified the dispatcher that there was heavy fire showing from the rear of the structure and immediately declared a Signal 30 for a working structure fire. The first arriving engine took the driveway and laid in to the scene.
Firefighters deployed a 2-inch handline through a side door into the house. Command confirmed that everyone was out of the structure and accounted for, with the exception of a cat. Quickly following the first-due engine, the truck company arrived and established a water supply for the scene. Firefighters conducted an aggressive interior attack, knocking down heavy fire conditions inside the structure and extinguishing the remaining fire.
Command placed the Maplewood Fire Department on standby in their station. While firefighters were conducting a secondary search of the home, they located the family’s cat, rescued it, and brought it out to safety.
Firefighters on scene began pulling apart the siding on the side of the building due to smoke still coming from the area. Crews utilized a handline to extinguish hotspots behind the siding. Overhaul operations were conducted in the area of the wood stove and on the exterior of the home. Firefighters inside the structure continued overhaul operations for an extended period to ensure there was no hidden fire within the walls.
No injuries were reported. The Town of Colonie Fire Services is investigating the cause of the fire. Due to the rapid response of the first-due engine company and the aggressive tactics employed by firefighters on scene, the incident was brought under control before the fire could spread throughout the home. All units returned to service later in the morning.