Potsdam (St. Lawrence) - Working Fire 9-20-2010

**PFDRes47cue** · August 1, 2008

Sorry for the poor pictures. Blackberry camera lens was wet and dirty...

Heavy fire upon arrival on a,b,d sides.

First call for the new Tower Ladder 5.

Ventilation...

Fire starting up again on second floor on c side.

Edited September 21, 2010 by PFDRes47cue

**NWFDMedic** · December 28, 2007

Thanks for the pictures. Any word on how the fire started? I had a good friend who lived in that house while he was doing graduate work at Clarkson. Was a relatively well-maintained college apartment house. Fire on the porch at midnight sounds like an unextinguished cigarette to me.

**FD828** · December 16, 2007

I know it is hard to see, but the 3rd picture of the ladder... how close is it to those wires? It looks pretty close from that angle!

**PFDRes47cue** · August 1, 2008

Thanks for the pictures. Any word on how the fire started? I had a good friend who lived in that house while he was doing graduate work at Clarkson. Was a relatively well-maintained college apartment house. Fire on the porch at midnight sounds like an unextinguished cigarette to me.

The house was very well maintained. My friend actually lived in this house this year. It is unclear if the fire started in a room right off the porch or on the porch. When we arrived on scene, we found heavy fire on the porch and the D, A sides of the house. The initial dispatch was for a porch fire, we were re-toned about 30 seconds later for a fully evolved working house fire. People living in the house stated it started on the porch and spread to quick for them to attempt to use fire extinguishers. C&O was unavailable until this morning. I have not been down to the firehouse yet to here any updates...

I know it is hard to see, but the 3rd picture of the ladder... how close is it to those wires? It looks pretty close from that angle!

The ladder was about 5 feet below the lines. The bottom lines are telephone lines. Also, National Grid cut power to the block due to the need for Tower Ladder 5 operating on the roof.

**PFDRes47cue** · August 1, 2008

Reports are saying that the fire was started by a lit cigarette on a couch. The fire displaced 6 SUNY Potsdam Students. One who was a close friend of mine.

Link to video:

http://northernny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/518224/overnight-fire-leaves-six-college-students-displaced-from-home/