WYNANTSKILL, NY - On December 25, 2023, at 5:22 A.M., the Poestenkill Fire Department, along with Mohawk Ambulance Service, was dispatched to 38 Snyders Corners Road for a reported structure fire. The caller reported that the garage was on fire. 

The first arriving sheriff's deputy notified the dispatcher that the garage was fully involved, and there were two fire hydrants across the street. The first chief on scene had a well-involved garage fire with heavy fire impinging on the main structure. Command transmitted the Signal 30 for a working structure fire and requested Wynantskill Fire Department and West Sand Lake Fire Department to the scene. 

Command was able to determine that all of the occupants in the main house were out of the structure and accounted for. Wynantskill Car 2 arrived on scene and quickly geared up, putting his air pack on and making his way to the front of the structure. Engine 27-2 arrived on scene and without missing a beat, Wynantskill Car 2 grabbed the cross lay and began to make the stretch to the front of the garage. Command requested fire investigators and national grid to be dispatched to the scene. Engine 42-7 quickly arrived on scene and firefighters dismounted and grabbed an additional hand line and made the stretch to the front door of the home.

The pump operator quickly connected to the nearby fire hydrant, establishing a water supply for the scene, and firefighters began to knock down the heavy fire condition in the front of the garage. Firefighters deployed an additional hand line to the front of the structure and crews put themselves between the main house and the well-involved garage and began to make a push into the garage area, driving back the heavy fire. As firefighters were quickly knocking down the heavy fire condition on the first-floor, thick, heavy brown and black smoke began to push from the roof and the two window areas on the second-floor. 

As firefighters were working on the first-floor, heavy fire began to push from the second-floor windows again as the roof of the structure started to exhibit heavy brown smoke and turbulent black smoke from the 'Delta' side of the structure. Firefighters redirected both hand lines into the windows on the second-floor, quickly darkening down the heavy fire condition pushing from the second-floor again. Firefighters tossed a ladder to the backside of the structure and made their way to the top floor, utilizing a chainsaw to cut the bottom of the windowsill out to make it easier for firefighters to gain entry. Firefighters utilized a hand line from the second-floor and made entry to the second-floor, knocking down all of the remaining heavy fire. Command requested Eagle Mills Fire Department and Defreestville Fire Department to stand by in quarters for the mutual aid departments on scene. 

Firefighters on scene continued to hit hot spots throughout the building and checked the primary home for any type of extension. Crews were able to keep the fire contained to the garage with minimal damage to the siding of the home. Firefighters worked until about 9:15 A.M. before going back into service. Fire investigators worked on scene to determine the cause of the fire. One dog died on scene from the fire. Unfortunately, the garage was utilized as a boarding room where the owner of the property would help find the owners of lost dogs and reunite them with them, as Rensselaer County currently does not have an animal shelter. The owner of the property has set up a GoFundMe to help raise funds to rebuild the garage and get the boarding room back open.