Syracuse, N.Y. – On August 27, 2022 at 3:39 p.m., Syracuse firefighters were alerted by the 911 Center to a possible apartment building fire at 947 Pond Street, Vinette Towers, with a 911-caller reporting a very strong burning odor in the building. Companies from Station 2 (Lodi St.) arrived in less than three minutes to the 12-story apartment building with smoke observed coming out of a window on the 5th floor. They made their way to the 5 th floor and were met by water and smoke in the hallway. Firefighters connected attack handlines to the building’s standpipe system in the stairwell and stretched the hose into place. When they made entry to the fire-apartment, they found and extinguished a fire in the kitchen. There was a heat-activated sprinkler flowing water as designed, keeping the fire from spreading to the rest of the apartment or building. Crews searched the apartment for victims and found none. They also verified there was no fire spread to other apartments. The occupants of other apartments in the building were advised to shelter-in-place, as there was no immediate danger to them. The fire was successfully contained to the kitchen.
The water that was flowing from the sprinkler, although vital for fire extinguishment, can cause water damage in the building. Firefighters quickly isolated the sprinkler system valve to the 5th floor to stop the flow of water. They then used squeegees to remove as much water as possible from the apartment and hallway. National Grid worked to ensure the electrical systems in the building were safe and unaffected by the water.
Syracuse fire investigators determined the fire started on the stove in the kitchen. The cause of the fire is under investigation. One occupant was displaced, and no injuries were reported. We thank our partners at the Syracuse Housing Authority, 911 Center, National Grid, Syracuse Police, the American Red Cross and American Medical Response. This is the second major fire this summer at Vinette Towers. Sprinklers are an important, lifesaving component of fire protection systems in high-value structures, such as apartment buildings. For them to work properly, the sprinkler heads need to be able to spray water. If their spray is blocked by objects or furniture too close, they won’t be effective. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends nothing be within 18 inches of a sprinkler head for it to work properly.
