On Wednesday, January 28th at approximately 0117 hours, Ulster Hose was dispatched for a kitchen fire at the Royal Garden Apartments. While en route, Car 61 was updated by county that the caller had smoke in the apartment. Upon arrival, UHFD Car 1 updated all units that smoke was showing, and fire was showing from a basement apartment on the one side of the building. Initial reports stated there were occupants trapped in the apartment with the active fire in the basement as well as occupants on the first floor. A working fire upgrade was requested, bringing Glasco and Centerville Cedar-Grove FASTeam to the scene. Hurley Fire Department was also requested with a tanker for additional water resources, due to the possibility of hydrants being frozen or covered.
Ulster Hose Cars 2, 3 and 4 entered the structure to search for trapped occupants. Unit 61-10 (Engine 4) arrived and that crew immediately stretched a line to the fire apartment, while other crew members performed primary searches. It was during this time that firefighters noticed an occupant on a balcony on the first floor looking to get out. The balcony was laddered and members were able to rescue the occupant from their location out of harm’s way. By this point, a second alarm was transmitted, allowing mutual aid to continue filling in and assisting.
Unit 61-12 (Truck 1) arrived, and that crew laddered the building and immediately began primary searches of the remaining apartments in the fire building, which were all negative. Units 61-11 (Engine 2), 61-20 (Engine 3) and 61-16 (Ladder 2) arrived soon thereafter, stretching additional lines, throwing additional ladders, and performing secondary searches.
Members remained on scene for almost 3 hours for suppression and overhaul. In addition to mutual aid fire companies on scene, Ulster Hose was also assisted by Empress ALS, City of Kingston Medic, Ulster Police Department, New York State Police, the Ulster County Fire Investigation Unit, and the Ulster Building Department. Mutual aid companies that helped cover the district between both fire houses were Ruby and Port Ewen.
