OVERNIGHT FIRE GUTS COHOES HOME
COHOES, N.Y. » A fire early Thursday morning gutted a home on Hudson Avenue and damaged two others.
Cohoes Fire Lt. Jason Geary said firefighters were called to a twofamily home at 103 Hudson Ave., near the Van Schaick Island Country Club, about 1 a.m. to battle the fire, which also damaged adjacent homes at 105 and 101 Hudson Ave. As the sun rose Thursday morning, it illuminated what was essentially the font of the home at 103 Hudson Ave. that had been charred from ground to roof. The home at 105 Hudson Ave., as well as the one at 101 Hudson Ave. which was in the midst of being sold, according to a partially melted sign in front of the building, showed signs of external fire damage on their front corners closest to the house where the blaze originated.
Everyone inside the house at 103 Hudson Ave. was able to escape, but Geary said several pets perished in the blaze.
“The homes on either other side of where the fire started also had fire damage, and another home across the street had some heat damage,” said Geary.
No injuries were reported, but officials with the Northeastern New York chapter of the American Red Cross said that group is helping three adults and four children, ages 1, 7, 9 and 17. The Red Cross provided financial assistance for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing, as well as comfort kits containing personal care items.
Geary said city firefighters received mutual aid from Albany, Green Island, Watervliet, Watervliet Arsenal and Troy. Firefighters remained at the scene throughout Thursday, looking into the cause of the blaze. In the morning, they were combing the front porch and front yard at 103 Hudson Ave. for evidence. Geary said the cause was still under investigation as of Thursday afternoon.
Geary said the home at 103 Hudson Ave. is considered a total loss and city officals have already put a bid out for its emergency demolish to be done as soon as possible.