Around 9 p.m., Syracuse Firefighters were dispatched to investigate a fire alarm activation at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 701 East Genesee Street, in downtown Syracuse.
When firefighters arrived on the scene moments later, they found an active alarm in the building, indicating a fire sprinkler activation on the 20th floor. Firefighters also noticed water leaking from elevator shafts on the first floor, and a faint odor of smoke in the lobby. The incident commander at the scene immediately requested the alarm be upgraded from an alarm investigation response.
The water leaking into the elevators had caused them to become disabled, and unusable, on the first floor. As additional crews of firefighters arrived at the scene, they began moving equipment and personnel up to the 20th floor via the stairwells to investigate. As crews neared the top, they encountered a worsening smoke condition, and eventually found fire on the 20th floor.
Teams of firefighters searched the 20th floor for any trapped occupants as other teams of firefighters connected hoses to the building’s standpipe system to fight the fire. It was quickly determined that the 20th floor, an open-plan event space frequently used for large gatherings, was empty. The fire was located and extinguished.
A sprinkler head nearby had activated as designed and held the flames in check. Crews also checked the floor below the fire, as smoke that filled the 20th floor had begun to affect the 19th floor. Incident commanders requested a ‘second alarm,’ bringing additional personnel and resources to the scene.
With the bulk of the fire knocked down, crews shifted to a ventilation operation. This involved bringing in large, powerful fans to remove smoke and other products of combustion from the affected floors.
The 20th floor sustained fire, smoke, and water damage. Syracuse Fire Investigators were at the scene working to determine the exact origin and cause of the fire. That investigation is ongoing.
Firefighters worked to protect belongings and property in the affected area, using large tarps to divert water away. No one was injured.
Hotel staff are working with fire officials to ensure any guests displaced by the fire and subsequent fire suppression operations are accommodated.
