Syracuse, N.Y. – At 9:07 P.M. Saturday January, 8th the Syracuse Fire Department was called to 418 Merriman Avenue, between Barrett Street and South Geddes Street for a house fire. The Onondaga County 911 Center had received calls reporting a fire in an abandoned two-family home, and it was believed that someone might be trapped inside. The first fire units were on scene in just two minutes, and observed a heavy volume of smoke and fire issuing from the structure.
The majority of the windows and doors of the two-family house were boarded up. After working to gain entry, firefighters immediately began searching all areas of the building for victims. Once inside, they encountered a tremendous amount of heat and zero visibility. The fire quickly spread into the attic space, which had limited access. This created a challenge for the interior crews. Ultimately, three fire hoses had to be put into operation to bring the fire under control. Firefighters from Squad Company 1 cut a large hole in the roof to help remove the extensive heat and smoke from the building. After a very thorough search, crews were able to determine that no one was trapped inside.
It took about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported, and no neighboring homes were damaged. National Grid, AMR, and the Syracuse Police Department also responded to the scene. Members of the Fire Investigation Bureau are currently working to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
