Syracuse, N.Y. – At 3:13 P.M. Nov 5th, the Syracuse Fire Department was called to 713 Butternut Street for a reported structure fire. The first companies were on scene in approximately two minutes, and found heavy smoke and fire conditions in the rear of the structure. It was not immediately clear if all of the occupants had escaped the two-family home, so firefighters had to quickly search all areas of the building for victims.
The fire rapidly spread from the first floor to the second, and into the cockloft (the void space between the top floor ceiling and the roof decking). At one point, the fire was so intense that it burned a hole in one of the fire hoses, causing it to fail. Because of the heavy volume of fire and the quick fire spread, incident commanders called additional companies to the scene for assistance. It took more than 50 firefighters approximately 45 minutes to completely extinguish the blaze.
It was later determined that all occupants had escaped safely prior to the fire department’s arrival. No injuries were reported. The damage to the building is significant, and the local chapter of the American Red Cross will be assisting the displaced occupants with shelter and other needs. The Syracuse Police Department, AMR and National Grid also responded to the scene. Members of the Fire Investigation Bureau are currently working to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
