FULTON – On Tuesday, January 25 at 7:06 p.m., Fulton Fire Department “D” crew responded to 111 N. 7th St. for a possible basement fire.
Units arrived with a light smoke condition showing from the exterior and occupants reporting that the basement was on fire. Under the direction of Captain Ryan Maxam and Lt. Rob Rosenbarker, two members made entry through the front door and were encountered by heavy smoke and zero visibility.
Chief Howard arrived and assumed command from Captain Maxam and requested an “All Call.” An “All Call” recalls off-duty firefighters back to work. Some recalled firefighters were assigned to the scene for fire suppression and others were assigned to staffing apparatus at the stations to protect the rest of the city.
While members continued to make entry into the basement from the front door, remaining members established a water supply from hydrants and provided ventilation and fire suppression from the exterior by removing the basement casement windows and opening the basement bilco doors that were blocked by obstructions and frozen shut. With hard work and dedication crews were able to keep the fire to the basement, extinguish it, and prevent the fire from involving the remainder of the house. Units returned to service at 9:19 p.m.
Five occupants of the building were displaced and helped by the local Red Cross and family.
Fulton Fire would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance. Oswego City Fire Department, Menter Ambulance, American Red Cross, Oswego County Fire Coordinators office, Fulton PD and National Grid for their response to the scene.
In closing, the Fulton Fire Department would like to remind everyone:
- Working smoke detectors should be placed on every floor of the house, to include the basement. These devices can provide valuable time to exit the structure safely during a fire.
- When using space heaters, make sure you follow the manufacturer recommendations for clearances away from combustibles and other operational instructions.
