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N.Y. firefighters battle 4 house fires in 16 hours

Syracuse firefighters were spread thin at one fire due to firefighters still being on the scene of a previous fire

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A fire displaced a family from an apartment building on North Alvord Street on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.

Fernando Alba | falba/TNS

By Rylee Kirk
syracuse.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse firefighters responded to four house fires in 16 hours, including two homes on fire at once, Chief Michael Monds said.

The first fire was at 2:48 p.m. Tuesday at 708 N. Alvord St. said Deputy Chief Nick Pagano. Five people were displaced, firefighters said. The fire was intentionally set and extinguished in two minutes, firefighters said.

At 3:31 a.m. Wednesday a garage caught fire on Oakley Drive East, Monds said. The fire spread from the garage to a living space and then the attic and cockloft, he said. Firefighters cut a hole in the house for smoke and heat to escape.

All adults and children were accounted for but one cat is missing, he said. Monds said the cat is possibly hiding after the fire because it was in a part of the home that was not as affected by the fire, he said.

At 6:08 a.m. Wednesday firefighters fought two house fires at the same time on Fitch Street. The house at 151 Fitch St. caught fire and spread to the house next door.

More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene. Smoke filled the neighborhood for blocks, Monds said.

At first it was reported people were inside. Firefighters searched and found no one inside, Monds said.

Both homes have serious damage, he said.

Firefighters were spread thin at the Fitch Street fires because some firefighters were still on the scene at Oakley Drive, Monds said.

No firefighters or civilians were injured in any of the fires, he said.

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