6494 Vosburgh Road

On the morning of Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 5:am, the members of the Guilderland Fire Department along with the Guilderland Police Department & Guilderland EMS were activated for a report of a house on fire at 6494 Vosburgh Road. The caller reported to 911 that the house was filling with smoke and that the basement was on fire and it was spreading to the kitchen.

The first arriving unit confirmed the call was indeed a working structure fire and that the residents were safely out of the home. Mutual aid was requested from Fort Hunter, Altamont, Guilderland Center, Rotterdam Fire District 2, McKownville and North Bethlehem for firefighter rehab.

Truck 29 arrived and stretched a hand line to the front door. Upon assessment, the Chief confirmed a working basement fire with extension into the upper walls and kitchen area. Crews used a K12 saw to force entry to the basement doorway from the outside. Upon entry they were met with billowing smoke and extreme high temperatures. Upon reaching the seat of the fire in the basement, firefighters were able to knock those flames down just moments before it was noticed that the heavy fire in the basement had compromised the ceiling beams which had caused the kitchen floor above to sag. With the potential for collapse all firefighters were ordered out of the structure in order to regroup and re-assess.

Upon reassessment it was determined that the fire had worked its way between the walls and up to the second floor and into the attic area. Crews mounted a second push and were able to bring the fire under control. No residents or firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Photos by: Sidewinder Photography