Emergency crews responded early Monday morning to a structure fire in the Village of Watkins Glen that displaced four residents but resulted in no reported injuries.
At approximately 4:21 a.m., the Watkins Glen Fire Department was dispatched to a possible structure fire at 215 10th Street. Watkins Glen Village Police arrived first and reported heavy smoke coming from the building, with at least four people still inside.
WGFD Car 19 arrived on scene and requested a second alarm assignment due to the severity of the incident. Village Police, the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office, and Car 19 worked together to safely remove all occupants from the residence. The displaced residents were relocated to the Middle School Apartments for temporary shelter.
Shortly afterward, fire broke through a corner of the structure. WGFD Engine 33 initiated an interior attack, but heavy fire on both the first and second floors, combined with weakening structural conditions, made suppression efforts increasingly dangerous. Car 19 ordered all interior crews to exit the building and transitioned operations to a defensive attack.
Not long after crews pulled out, the entire rear of the structure collapsed. Watkins Glen and Montour Falls ladder trucks were deployed, using large master streams to bring the fire under control.
The American Red Cross was called to assist the affected residents, and CEMS Ambulance evaluated all four tenants on scene. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters faced extreme cold temperatures and snow-covered conditions throughout the response. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
WGFD expressed its appreciation to the many agencies that assisted during the incident, including:
- Montour Falls Fire Department
- Burdett Fire Department
- Hector Fire Department
- Beaver Dams Fire Department
- Dundee Fire Department
- Himrod Fire Department
- Schuyler County Emergency Management
- Schuyler County Investigation Team
- Watkins Glen Village Police
- Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office
- New York State Police
- American Red Cross
- Watkins Glen Village Electric
- Watkins Glen Department of Public Works
