Tag Archives: New York

Historic Building, Other Business

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at historic building; No injuries reported

Firefighters put out a fire Tuesday afternoon on the third floor of the historic Gridley Building in downtown’s Hanover Square.

The fire at 101 E. Water St. was reported at about 2:35 p.m., according to 911 Center dispatches.

Firefighters found heavy smoke on the third floor, according to District Chief Matt Craner, a fire department spokesperson.

No injuries were reported, according to a fire official.

Water Street was closed from Washington Street to South Warren Street. Washington Street was also closed from East Genesee Street to South Salina Street.

The fire set off the sprinkler system, causing heavy smoke. All occupants were evacuated, Craner said. The fire was out after about 50 minutes, he said.

The third floor contains office space, Craner said.

The third floor of the building suffered moderate fire damage, Craner said.

The third and fourth floor suffered smoke damage. All floors of the building suffered water damage, including the Prime Steak House restaurant on the ground floor, he said.

Designed by local architect Horatio Nelson White, the building was completed adjacent to the Erie Canal (now Erie Boulevard) in 1867 for the Onondaga County Savings Bank.

White is also known for designing Syracuse University’s first building, the Hall of Languages, which was completed in 1870 and has a similar style as the Gridley Building.

Over recent decades, the building has housed restaurants on its ground floor and office space in its upper floors.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

Coeymans, NY – Sprinkler system activated for arson fire at elementary school

A fire in Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School was purposely ignited, according to the superintendent of schools. The fire was set in an upstairs boys’ bathroom on Tuesday.

Superintendent Brian Bailey said the student will be held accountable for their actions.

The school’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but smoke spread throughout the building. There was also water damage on the first and second floors. The school was evacuated, and the building was closed on Wednesday for cleaning by a fire remediation team.

The bathroom where the fire occurred and the bathroom immediately below it will remain closed as cleaning and repairs continue.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire on 20th floor of hotel; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded in big numbers to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Syracuse Wednesday evening.

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.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Dolgeville, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at fabric company

A fire broke out at Gehring Tricot, a fabric company in Dolgeville, on Wednesday morning.

The fire was extinguished swiftly, preventing the entire building and fabric from being destroyed.

The incident occurred around 10:10 a.m. and was contained to a single room at the back of the structure.

According to Dolgeville’s Fire Chief David Jaquay, the sprinkler system was triggered, and it put out most of the fire before the arrival of firefighters.

Fire departments from Salisbury, Hilltop, Little Falls, and Oppenheim assisted Dolgeville’s fire crews.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

New York City, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at four-story warehouse

A fire burned through a building in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon.

The FDNY received a report of a fire at a four-story storage warehouse shortly after noon.

The Stop and Stor warehouse is in Sunset Park on 63rd Street.

By 1 p.m., firefighters identified the blaze as a three-alarm fire.

One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation because his mask became dislodged, said Assistant Fire Chief Michael Myers.

At first, three e-bikes or mopeds were on fire, Myers said. They later found 300 e-bikes and scooters inside.

The sprinkler system was not strong enough to douse the flames, so the firefighters worked frantically to keep the fire from spreading to more e-bikes.

In total, 33 units and at least 135 EMS and FDNY personnel responded to the scene.

At this time, first responders are still working to put out the flames.

The cause of the fire was not immediately made clear.

College/University (on campus), Other - Residential, Residential, School / University

Auburn, NY – Sprinkler system extinguishes stovetop fire at community college; No injuries reported

A minor fire, ignited by food on a stovetop, led to the displacement of several Lattimore Hall residents on Saturday, according to the Auburn Fire Department.

The incident, which occurred at the independent student housing complex for Cayuga Community College, was reported at approximately 4:47 p.m.

Officials said the dormitory’s sprinkler system quickly extinguished the fire before firefighters reached the scene.

However, the resulting water damage prompted the Auburn Code Enforcement Office to condemn the affected third-floor unit and the units directly beneath it on the first and second floors.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Lattimore Hall’s management is currently arranging alternate accommodations for the displaced students, and the fire department has taken measures to manage the aftermath of the incident, including shutting down the third floor’s sprinkler system and ventilating the smoke. Auburn City Ambulance was also present on-site.

Apartment Building, Residential

Niagra Falls, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building

On Dec. 30, at 6:23 p.m., the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office communications center received a fire alarm from the Wheatfield Towers Apartment Building. The fire alarm was followed by a water flow alarm from the same location.

The first arriving unit was Deputy Tighe from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, who confirmed a large amount of water coming from the second floor, and smoke in the building. Deputy Tighe made his way to the second floor and confirmed a fire in apartment 210. He immediately radioed for additional units and began evacuating residents.

Additional responding units arrived and assisted with the evacuation of the building’s residents. Responding fire companies arrived and continued with the evacuation and extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to apartment 210 – where it originated – due to the building’s sprinkler system.

The American Red Cross responded to assist with displaced residents.

Investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing by the Niagara County Origin and Cause Team. There is no estimate on damages at this time.

Residential, Residential High Rise

Syracuse, NY – Sprinkler system activated for 5th floor apartment fire

Syracuse Firefighters extinguished a kitchen fire on the fifth floor of Vinette Towers Saturday afternoon.

Crews responded to the 947 Pond Street Apartment building around 3:39 pm after a 911 caller reported a very strong odor in the building. Firefighters arrived in less than 3 minutes and saw smoke coming out of a window on the 5th floor. Crews made their way to the fifth-floor apartment with a hose line and extinguished the fire.

Firefighters determined the fire started on a kitchen stove. A heat-activated sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading into any other apartments. No victims were found, but one apartment resident was displaced.

This is the second major fire reported at Vinette Towers this summer. In July, 10 apartments were left uninhabitable after homemade fireworks exploded on the 6th floor of the apartment building.

The cause of the stove fire is under investigation. The Syracuse Housing Authority, National Grid, Syracuse Police, the Red Cross, and AMR all assisted the Syracuse Fire department in their response.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Whitestown, NY – Sprinkler system activated for fire at manufacturing facility; No injuries reported

No one was injured when a milling machine caught on fire at Whitcraft manufacturing on Halsey Road in Whitestown very early Sunday morning, according to the New York Mills Fire Department.

Fire Chief Rick Ulinski said the employees were working through the night when one machine caught on fire at about 1:45 a.m. The employees called 911 and evacuated the building at 8273 Halsey Road.

The fire was largely under control when volunteers from three local departments arrived on the scene.

“The sprinkler system did what the sprinkler system is supposed to do,” Chief Ulinski stated.

The chief said crews took less than an hour to knock down the flames for good. They remained on scene for two hours total.

The fire damage was contained to the machine, while a ventilation system directly above the machine was “warped” from the heat, Ulinski noted.

The New York Mills, Westmoreland and Whitesboro fire departments were dispatched to the scene.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Kingston, NY – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire; No injuries reported

Around 10:45 p.m. Friday night, the Kingston Fire Department was called to 30 Broadway for an alarm sounding. Crews arriving on the scene forced their way into both 24 and 30 Broadway and found a kitchen fire at 24 Broadway.

The sprinkler system inside the building contained the fire. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze and searched for trapped occupants while putting it out. Luckily, all occupants were able to safely evacuate the building without any injuries.

The cause of this fire remains under investigation by the Kingston Fire Department Fire Investigation team. 24 Broadway sustained minor smoke and fire damage but had significant water damage after the incident.