On December 10, 2021 at 3:07 PM, The City of Watervliet Fire Department along with mutual aid from the Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department, the Green Island Fire Department, and the city of Cohoes Fire Department for a reported structure Fire at 2118 4th Avenue. The caller reported a fire in the wall. The dispatcher advised all of the residents to evacuate the building.
The crews from the first arriving truck company and engine on scene dismounted from the rigs and made their way to the second floor of the home with a thermal imaging camera. As firefighters were checking the wall, crews found fire behind the wall and made an inspection hole in the wall and had a large amount of heavy smoke push from the inspection hole. Firefighters from the truck company Immediately made their way to the roof and began to set up as they believed there was fire in the attic. As firefighters began to cut the roof a significant amount of smoke started to push from the vent hole and the officer from the truck company requested the second alarm to be transmitted out of an abundance of caution as the building next-door was connected to the fire building.

The city of Albany’s Fire Department was dispatched with two engines and a truck company to the scene as the City of Troy’s Fire Department is no longer responding to the City of Watervliet. As mutual aid companies arrived on scene, firefighters deployed a hand line into the primary fire building and into the building next-door as they had a minor smoke condition coming from the eaves of the structure. With brown smoke pushing from the windows of the home as firefighters inside of the primary fire building began to pull the ceiling area and wall area exposing the some of the fire, but also exposing that the fire had made its way into the attic area. Firefighters began to conduct a primary knockdown of the main body of fire as the truck company on the roof began to vent the roof but ran into the issue of multiple roofs.
Firefighters struggled to cut through the multiple roofs, but with persistence they were able to make a 4 x 8 hole which allowed for all of the trap Super-heated and toxic gases to escape. The truck company on the roof used a hand line to knock down the fire in the attic area. Firefighters on the second-floor notified command that the fire in both buildings were under control. Firefighters on scene were able to bring the fire under control in less than 20 minutes. The city of Albany’s fire Department arrived on scene but went back into service shortly after. Firefighters conducted overhaul on scene for an extended period of time. Police on scene began to conduct their investigation into what caused the fire. Both homes suffered smoke, fire, and water damage. The Red Cross was contacted for the individuals affected by the fire. The Watervliet police department is actively investigating the fire at this time.