MELROSE, NY - On November 29th at 6:27 P.M., the Rensselaer County Emergency Communication Center was receiving multiple calls for a reported fully involved structure fire in the area of Route 40 and Rice Mountain Road. The Melrose FD, along with Johnsonville FD for the FAST and Hoosic Valley Ambulance, were dispatched to the scene.

Melrose Cars 1 and 2 went en route and quickly arrived on scene to discover a well involved working structure fire and immediately transmitted the Signal 30. Command requested the Speigletown FD to the scene, and to place the Schaghticoke, Hoosick Valley, Pleasantdale and Hemstreet Park Fire Departments in quarters for a standby. Engine 20-7 and 20-6 arrived on scene back-to-back. Engine 20-7 laid in a four-inch supply line from the end of the driveway to the scene, and 20-6 set up a water supply at the end of the driveway, feeding the first due engine company.

Firefighters on the first arriving engine closest to the scene immediately deployed a one-and-three-quarter inch hand line to the side door of the structure on the 'Delta' side. With heavy fire blowing over their heads and heavy fire pushing from the front of the house, firefighters masked up and called for the hand line to be charged. Firefighters then opened up the nozzle and made an aggressive push forward, conducting an aggressive interior attack. As crews made their way through the first area knocking down the heavy fire condition, they then made their way to the stairs and made an aggressive push to knock down the heavy fire condition on the second floor of the house.

Additional firefighters on scene began to pull another hand line to the front door of the structure while other firefighters made their way inside and quickly conducted a primary search of the residence to make sure no one was inside. Engine 35-7 arrived on scene and established a water supply from the nearby hydrant.

As firefighters worked inside, command requested that the departments he placed on standby in quarters respond to the scene for manpower. Within the first five minutes of arrival due to aggressive interior firefighting tactics, firefighters from the Melrose FD were able to quickly bring the fire under control. Additional resources started to arrive on scene and made their way up the driveway to the staging area. Hemstreet Park firefighters set up at a hydrant near the scene and helped with traffic control.

Fire investigators and Rensselaer County fire coordinators were requested to the scene. Command asked all arriving units to back up Rice Mountain Road, as there was only one way up the roadway for equipment to fit. Firefighters conducted extensive overhaul on scene from the incident. During overhaul fire investigators began to search for the cause of the fire. Crews remained on scene for an extended period of time conducting overhaul and salvage operations. The fire is currently under investigation, and no injuries were reported.