Syracuse firefighters battled four separate fires across the city Thursday afternoon, preventing several incidents from escalating into major emergencies while simultaneously responding to a working commercial structure fire.
The busiest period occurred between 1 and 3 p.m. on June 11, when crews were dispatched to fires on North Midler Avenue, Benedict Avenue, Lilac Street, and Gebhardt Avenue.
The most significant incident occurred at 360 North Midler Avenue, where firefighters responded at 1:58 p.m. to reports of a commercial building fire. Crews from Station 17 spotted smoke from several blocks away and arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from two garage bays at the rear of the property.
Fire officials upgraded the response to a Signal “99,” indicating a working fire.
Firefighters deployed multiple hose lines to attack the blaze while taking precautions due to the potential presence of flammable liquids and compressed gases commonly associated with automotive repair operations. The fire was brought under control within 10 minutes and fully extinguished in less than 45 minutes.
The affected portion of the building appeared to be used for automotive repair. Utilities serving that section of the structure were disconnected and will remain out of service until repairs are completed.
No civilians were injured. However, two firefighters suffered injuries during the response. One firefighter sustained a leg injury, while another was transported to Upstate Community Hospital for evaluation. Their conditions were not immediately available.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While crews were battling the North Midler Avenue fire, firefighters also responded to three other incidents elsewhere in the city.
On Benedict Avenue, crews quickly contained a kitchen fire before it could spread. Firefighters on Lilac Street extinguished a basement fire before it moved throughout the home, and crews on Gebhardt Avenue stopped an outside rubbish fire that had begun spreading toward a nearby residence.
According to the Syracuse Fire Department, the Lilac Street and Gebhardt Avenue incidents occurred while firefighters were still actively operating at the North Midler Avenue commercial fire.
Fire officials noted that fires can double in size in as little as 30 seconds under certain conditions, making rapid response critical to preventing small incidents from becoming major emergencies.
Thursday’s fires occurred during a period of extreme heat and humidity, creating additional challenges for firefighters working in heavy protective gear. More than 40 firefighters operated at the North Midler Avenue scene, where the department’s Medical Emergency Response Vehicle provided hydration, cooling, and medical monitoring.
Firefighters remained at the commercial fire scene for more than two hours conducting overhaul operations and assisting investigators.
