On December 29, 2024, at 3:58 AM, the Clinton Heights Fire Department was dispatched for a reported structure fire at 16 Highland View Avenue, the caller reported the garage was on fire. Clinton Heights car one called in route to the scene and arrived on scene within seconds as he lived nearby and immediately re-transmitted the alarm as he had a working structure fire with extension into the home and transmitted the second alarm. The second alarm brought additional resources from the East Greenbush Fire Department, Best Luther Fire Department, and Defreestville Fire Department to the scene and Castleton Fire Department to standby at the Clinton Heights Fire Department.

With heavy fire pushing from the garage and the side of the home on fire, the chief requested the first arriving engine to immediately utilize his deck gun and knock down the heavy fire condition to stop the spread of the fire to the home. Firefighters quickly deployed an inch and three-quarter hand line to the garage and began to knock down the fire inside of the garage. Firefighters also made their way around the rear of the structure and made sure that there was no extension into any other portion of the building. Firefighters from the mutual aid companies began to arrive on scene. As firefighters connected to a nearby hydrant the water main for the street ruptured and began to flood the roadway and undermined the nearby intersection. Command requested the water department to the scene. Firefighters on scene continued to hit hot spots in the garage and cool down a propane tank that had caught fire and was off gassing.

Firefighters conducted extensive overhaul of the scene until the early morning hours. No injuries were reported. The garage was a total loss along with two vehicles that had caught fire. Fire Investigator’s arrived on scene and began to conduct their investigation into the fire. Due to the aggressive tactics of the first due engine company and the quick-thinking command staff at the Clinton Heights Fire Department the home was saved and received minor damage to the siding. The roadway remained closed after the fire for the Water main to be repaired.