TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A fire broke out at 494 2nd Ave in Troy early Saturday morning. According to fire officials, all residents were evacuated, but the house was a total loss.
While fighting the fire, the department dealt with icy conditions in the negatives with frigid wind chills. The department found it more challenging to fight the fire with each moment. There were also mechanical issues with the equipment due to the freezing temperatures.
Eric Wisher is the President of Troy Uniformed Firefighters, and he said that everything was covered in ice, even their uniforms.
“Everything that gets covered with water gets covered in ice,” he said. “So getting around, the footing is not very good, so it was just a challenge. It was the most extreme condition.
One firefighter slipped on the ice and needed to go to the hospital. Fire officials say he has a broken leg from the fall but is doing okay.
Whenever there are extreme weather conditions, fire officials are prepared to have a second set of gear in case there is another call for assistance.
“You come back, and you’re covered in ice, you’re still sweating inside…so the inside is wet, and you’re covered in debris from the fire,” Wisher said. “So having a set of gear ready is very important.”
When news of the fire broke, local businesses felt the calling to give back. Tony Buchanan is the owner of Jimmy’s Pizzeria, and one of his family members was one of the firefighters on the scene.
“My wife was on social media, and then she woke me up and said, ‘hey, there was a fire down in Lansingburgh.’ I said, ‘oh, whereabouts?’ She said by the Stewart’s by 2nd Ave. She then said that a fireman got hurt.”
Buchanan called his relative and confirmed the situation; that is when he decided to send some pizza to help feed the first responders. Eric Wisher said that he was grateful that the restaurant did that.
“They brought the guys pizza at lunchtime,” Wisher said. “The guys that were on fire watch last night, he brought them dinner.”
And other businesses answered the call to help. A local Stewarts in Troy provided shelter to those who lost their home due to the fire.
“It took all those people in, the neighbors and their kids… He took them all into the store,” Wisher said. “He made sure that we had hot coffee, brought over hot coffee… All while he was running the store.”
The CDTA also helped by bringing buses for the firefighters to stay warm.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but fire officials hope that everyone will be careful and stay safe while trying to stay warm.
