Syracuse, N.Y. – On December 17th, 2022 at 7:14 p.m., Syracuse firefighters were alerted by the 911 Center to a possible fire in an apartment building at 150 E. Fayette St., the Icon Towers. Firefighters from Station 1 (S. State St.) arrived in 2½ minutes to the 11-story building and noted smoke coming from windows on the 10th floor. Crews made their way to that floor to initiate fire attack and search for victims. Other firefighters evacuated occupants from the building. Crews connected their handlines to outlets in the stairwells and stretched the hose to the fire apartment. They were met by fire and were able to extinguish it before it spread to other parts of the building. The sprinkler system also activated as designed.
Fires in large buildings are inherently more complicated and labor-intensive—additional firefighters were called to the scene to assist. The Syracuse Fire Department identifies buildings such as this as high-value due to the concentration of occupants and the destructive power of fire in a downtown area with so many buildings connected together.
The fire was successfully contained by firefighters to the apartment of origin. Firefighters quickly shut off the sprinkler system to limit water damage. Crews remained on scene ventilating smoke, removing water, and moving valuable possessions, such as computers, out of the water.
Syracuse Fire Investigators are investigating the cause of the fire. There are no injuries to report. Multiple apartments are uninhabitable due to smoke and water damage. The American Red Cross was on scene to assist displaced occupants. We thank our partners at the 911 Center, Syracuse Police, National Grid, AMR and the American Red Cross.
According to the Syracuse Fire Department, “Sprinkler and alarm systems are an important part of fire protection. The unsung heroes of tonight’s fire are the hardworking men and women of the Fire Prevention Bureau—keeping Syracuse safe with everything from reviewing blueprints to ensuring sprinklers systems work properly.”
