On November 26, 2025, at 4:58 PM, multiple calls poured into the Albany County emergency communication center for a reported structure fire at the Rivers Edge Apartments in the village of Green Island in building 27 apartment four. The caller stated the apartment was on fire. The Village of Green Island Fire Department, Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department, City of Cohoes Fire Department, and City of Watervliet’s Fire Department responded to the scene. As Engine 1322 was responding to the scene and took the turn towards the apartment complex they had heavy fire pushing out the rear of the structure up and over the top of the building and the officer in the rig immediately called for the signal thirty for a working structure fire.

Firefighters immediately arrived on scene and deployed an inch and three-quarter hand line to the rear of the building and firefighters called for the hand line to be charged. As the pump operator charged the line, police evacuated the apartments around the main fire building. Firefighters made an aggressive knockdown of the heavy fire condition in the rear of the building to prevent it from spreading to the upper floors and into the roof. Firefighters immediately made a push inside of the apartment and began to knock down the heavy fire condition in the living room and kitchen area. The dispatcher notified command on scene that there were cats inside of the apartment. The city of Watervliet’s Fire Department assisted in establishing a water supply as the Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department set up their truck company on scene and put it to the roof of the building in case they needed to conduct ventilation. Firefighters made their way to the second-floor apartment and quickly conducted a primary search and discovered that the heavy fire load on the rear of the building had not made its way inside of this structure. 

Firefighters on the first floor continue to hit hotspots and search for the cats inside of the apartment. As firefighters continued to conduct overhaul inside of the apartment. Firefighters pulled apart the roof area in the back of the building to make sure no Fire had extended into the attic area. Firefighters on scene notified the dispatcher that the incident was under control. Firefighters continued to conduct overhaul for an extended period of time. 

Firefighters remained on scene until the late evening hours while Fire Investigator’s work to determine the cause of the fire. Unfortunately, firefighters located one cat that had perished in the apartment. Due to the aggressive tactics of the first due engine company, firefighters were able to keep the heavy fire condition from spreading to any other portion of the building as this apartment complex has had multiple large fires over the years. No injuries were reported. The fire remains under investigation at this time