Investigators have deemed a fire that broke out in the stairwell of a 12-story apartment building in the city of Ithaca to be suspicious.
Fire crews responded around 5:30 p.m. after a smoke detector was triggered in the building’s east stairwell. Firefighters quickly brought the flames under control, preventing further spread, but smoke and toxic gases moved throughout the building, impacting all residential floors.
Crews remained on scene until just before 11 p.m., working to ventilate the structure and ensure no fire remnants remained in the ventilation system. No injuries were reported.
Residents were temporarily displaced during the response as fire crews worked to clear hazardous smoke and gases. They were allowed to return shortly after 10 p.m. once the building was deemed safe and cleanup of soot and debris was completed by staff.
The fire has been determined by the Ithaca Police Department to be suspicious and is under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Ithaca Police Department tip line at (607) 330-0000.
Additional agencies provided support during the incident. Bangs Ambulance provided medical assistance, transporting several civilians for smoke inhalation, and treating others on the scene. Due to the scale of the incident, a third alarm was dispatched, recalling off-duty career IFD personnel and bringing in mutual aid from Newfield, Lansing, and Cayuga Heights Fire Departments. Representatives from the City of Ithaca Building Department, Tompkins Community Action, and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance were also on scene to assist with coordinating cleanup and reoccupation efforts.
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