Smoking blamed for fire
Watervliet officials say a cigarette was tossed on pet bed
The fire that destroyed row houses Monday was accidentally set by a resident smoking in the rear of one of the buildings who tossed a cigarette onto a pet bed, city officials said Tuesday.
The residents tried to extinguish the fire as the pet bed ignited on the back porch but it quickly spread, fire Chief Tom Garrett said.
“The fire was accidental due to smoking,” Garrett said.
The ensuing blaze spread to three row houses — 2401, 2403 and 2405 Broadway — just north of the intersection with 24th Street. The fire was reported at 1:15 p.m. The city has ordered the demolition of the three buildings after a city engineer evaluated them and ruled they had to to be razed, Mayor Charles Patricelli said.
“They need to come down,” Patricelli said.
The buildings will be torn down in the next few days. Broadway remains closed from 25th Street south to 23rd Street. The city also has closed 24th Street between Second Avenue and Broadway.
Bricks are piled along 24th Street and Broadway where they fell from the buildings during the fire. Patricelli said an estimated 7 million gallons was poured on the buildings in the effort to put out the stubborn blaze.
Two Watervliet Arsenal firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion as temperatures hit 93 degrees and the heat index soared as high as 102 degrees. A resident was treated for smoke inhalation, according to authorities.
The local American Red Cross assisted 11 of the 12 families living in the three buildings.
The city has started a Watervliet Broadway Burn Out Fund to assist the families who lost their homes and possessions in Monday’s fire at through an account at Pioneer Bank. Those who wish to contribute can make checks payable to the Watervliet Broadway Burn out Fund or to the Watervliet Charitable Foundation (501c3), Patricelli said in multiple Facebook and social media postings.
Cash donations may be made at the Watervliet Pioneer branch or checks may be sent to the Mayor’s Office, Room 2, City Hall 2-15th St. for either the Pioneer account or the Charitable Foundation.
Families affected by the fire are asked to contact Patricelli’s office at 518270-3815 or by email at Cpatricelli@watervliet.com.
Two Gofundme sites have been set up to assist an individual and a family of four that lost their homes in the fire. Pedro Valetin is trying to raise $20,000 for his family of four. Priscilla Medina established a site to aid her brother Paul Rostick by raising $5,000. City firefighters remained on the scene into Tuesday morning to watch for a resumption of fire in the wreckage.
The Watervliet Fire Department was assisted by firefighters from the Watervliet Arsenal, Troy, Green Island, Cohoes and Albany. Colonie emergency medical technicians were also at the scene.