Cronomer Valley Fire Department, the Town of Newburgh Emergency Service and Town of Newburgh Police were called to a MVA rollover.
See story on page 12
Long Fight in Hyde Park
The Hyde Park Fire Department responded to a large-scale structure fire.
See story on page 16
House Fire on Costar St. in Rochester
Rochester firefighters were called for the report of a building fire.
See story on page 26
Niskayuna Garage Fire Ignites
Niskayuna Fire District 1 firefighters responded to a confirmed house fire.
See story on page 32
Rochester Fire on Parsells Ave
Rochester firefighters were dispatched for multiple calls reporting a house on fire with people trapped.
See story on page 34
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Brooklyn All-Hands Scrap Yard Blaze
Battlalion 58 gave a 10-75 from blocks away for heavy smoke showing from a scrap yard on Ditmas Avenue on April 22, 2026. Units used Tower Ladder 170 and three hoselines to knock down the main
body of fire. The fire took several hours to bring under control.
– Fire News photo by Lloyd Mitchell
A South Jamaica house on Linden Boulevard was heavily damaged by fire on April 10, 2026. Fire operations were hampered by a heavy clutter condition throughout the house. The blaze was deemed sus-
Historic Church Burns in Astoria
A church built in 1836 was the scene of a five-alarm fire on 12th Street in Astoria, Queens, on April 23, 2026. Engine Company 262 and Ladder Company 116 arrived to find heavy fire conditions in the rectory extending into a church. Units were put into a defensive
operation. Four tower ladders and eight hoselines were used to knock down the main body of fire. The fire took six hours to bring under control. – Fire News photos by Lloyd Mitchell
Historic Church Burns in Astoria (Continued)
Fire in Floral Park Home Under Construction
FDNY companies in the Floral Park section of Queens responded to the report of smoke coming from a house under construction on 265th Street on the afternoon of April 11, 2026. A small fire, possibly
electrical in nature, was located and quickly knocked down. – Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com
Route 300 Rollover MVA
Cronomer Valley Fire Department, the Town of Newburgh Emergency Service and Town of Newburgh Police were called to a MVA rollover on Route 300 at Thomas Lane. One person was transported to the hospital.
Winona Lakes Trains … and Then a Call
– Fire News photo by Vinnie Dominick
The Winona Lake Engine Company practices bailout training. During training they received a call for smoke in a building.
– Fire News photo by Vinnie Dominick
Roof Collapse at 2-Alarm House Fire in Rochester
In the early morning of April 8, 2026, Rochester firefighters worked a second-alarm house fire on Columbia Avenue. Engine 7 arrived to heavy fire on the first floor of the home and firefighters stretched lines and were able to knock down the main body of fire as searches were being conducted. As crews opened up they found fire running the walls in numerous areas of the home which was split into multiple apartments. A second alarm was stuck bringing extra companies
to the scene to help opening up. Companies chased down pockets of fire on all three floors for 30 minutes before being pulled out of the home as the well advanced fire caused a roof collapse. Crews worked with a deck gun, ladder pipe, and multiple handlines knocking down heavy fire before re-entering the home and putting the fire under control.
– Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography.com
CHAPLAIN
Long Fight in Hyde Park
The Hyde Park Fire Department responded to a largescale structure fire at the Millennial Kingdom Church, on Mansion Drive. Firefighters were dispatched on January 1, 2026, at approximately 0812 hours. Fire suppression, overhaul, and property conservation operations continued for an extended period, with all units clearing the scene on January 2, at approximately 1700, after more than 33 hours of continuous operations. The fire was determined to have been caused by a space heater that ignited, combined with open doors. Supplying water to the scene proved challenging. Firefighters established long water supply operations, laying approximately 1,300 feet of hose to one hydrant and an additional 1,000 feet to a secondary hydrant. There were 10 residents displaced as a result of the fire. All occupants safely escaped, and there were no civilian injuries. Despite below-freezing temperatures and icy conditions, no firefighter injuries occurred. Assisting fire departments came from: Fairview, City of Poughkeepsie, Arlington, Roosevelt, Pleasant Valley, Rhinebeck, New Hackensack, New Hamburg, East Fishkill, Highland, Millbrook and Beekman. Emergency Medical Services and Special Units included: Empress EMS and an East Clinton SORT Truck. Hyde Park Police and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s drone unit also assisted.
- Fire News photos submitted by Chief Steven S. Wilcha; Hyde Park FD
Long Fight in Hyde Park (Continued)
Flames Consume Five Tractor-Trailer Trucks in Scotia
On April 7, 2026, Beukendaal, Scotia, and Glenville Hill firefighters battled a line of tractor-trailer trucks that caught fire at the Old Dominion Freight Line Company on 7th Avenue in the Glenville Business and Technology Park. The flames were brought under control in less than an hour and the cause was under investigation.
- Fire News photo by Peter
R. Barber
Brooklyn 2-Alarmer
FDNY Engine Company 248 and Ladder Company 174 transmitted a 10-75 for heavy fire in the rear of a two-story dwelling on Brooklyn Avenue. The 41 Battalion transmitted a second alarm on his arrival. – Fire News photos by Lloyd Mitchell
Cover Story
3-Alarm Fire Destroys Rexford House
On April 23, 2026, Rexford (Saratoga County) Volunteer Firefighters responded to the report of a house fire on Meadow Road to find flames consuming the C side of the home. Three alarms were sounded bringing several area volunteers to the scene from neighboring Schenectady County. The fire quickly spread
through the house with radiant heat igniting two parked vehicles in the driveway and threatening a D side exposure. All occupants escaped with one occupant suffering minor burns to his hands. The house was deemed a total loss and the cause was not known.
– Fire News photos by Peter R. Barber
Brooklyn
On April 26, 2026, FDNY Engine Company 283 went to investigate an odor of smoke on Willmohr Street. They discovered fire in a rear bedroom which had extended into the cockloft. The 15th Division
Assemblyman Santabarbara Joins Florida for Tool Training
On April 14, 2026, New York State Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara was invited to join the Town of Florida Volunteer Fire Department for hands-on training with hydraulic tools alongside representatives from AMKUS. The training provided an oppor-
tunity to work side-by-side with first responders and see the skill, coordination and precision required during emergency rescue operations. – Fire News photos by Mark Perfetti
House Fire on Costar St. in Rochester
In the early morning hours of April 20, 2026, Rochester firefighters were called for the report of a building fire. First arriving companies found fire showing from the eaves of a 1-1/2 story residential dwelling and declared a working fire. Lines were quickly stretched and put into operation as truck crews conducted a search of the home and opened the roof. The fire was brought under control shortly thereafter. – Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography.com
Violent Crash Traps Driver for Over an Hour
On April 7, 2026, Delanson, Duanesburg, and Pine Grove volunteer firefighters were called to the scene of a two-vehicle collision at Western Turnpike and McGuire School Road after a U-Haul box truck took a right turn into the path of a tractor-trailer truck causing it to careen off the side of the road sheering off a utility pole and
coming to rest on its roof pinning the driver for over an hour. He was taken by Duanesburg Ambulance to Albany Medical Center for treatment. The two occupants of the U-Haul truck were not injured. – Fire News photos by Peter R. Barber
Hoarding an Issue on Clifford Avenue Fire
On February 8, 2026, Rochester firefighters were dispatched to Clifford Avenue for the report of a house on fire. Crews arrived to find smoke and fire showing from the rear of the home and declared a working fire. Firefighters quickly stretched lines and went inside the home finding fire on multiple floors. Battling hoarding conditions, they knocked down the flames and put the fire under control.
– Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography
Training Opportunity to Boght
The Century House Restaurant and Banquet Hall has been in a business in Latham for decades. Fire departments held their installation banquets there every year. Many of the firefighters held their weddings there. The business has decided to change and remove the restaurant and banquet halls to put up apartments. The owner, who is in the fire service, contacted Boght Fire Department and offered the building for three weeks prior to demolition for training purposes. Boght took full advantage of this unique opportunity. For three weeks the department held nightly drills. They also offered other departments in the area. Hillcrest, Verdoy, Fuller Road, West Albany, Clifton Park and West Crescent; the opportunity to pull ceilings, breach walls, do search and rescues, open up roof and train for weeks. It was bittersweet to destroy a beloved landmark but having the opportunity to do teaching drills was indispensable.
Two people were killed in a deadly, five-alarm fire at a five-story, mixed-use building in the Bronx on April 21, 2026. Fire and heavy smoke were reported on multiple floors of the building on 187th Street in the Belmont section of the borough with numerous people on the fire escapes. Eleven other people were injured, including five firefighters. – Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com
Richmond Hill All-Hands
FDNY units in the Richmond Hill section of Queens battled an allhands blaze on the second floor and in the attic of a private dwelling on 127th Street on April 20, 2026. Extra truck companies were required due to extensive overhauling.
– Fire News photo by FirstOnScenePhotos.com
Stranded Jet Skier Rescued in Glenville
On April 4, 2026, a personal watercraft (PWC) driver (jet skier) became stranded on the Mohawk River in the town of Glenville. Firefighters from the Alplaus Volunteer Fire Department responded with their air boat to execute the rescue. The operator and jet ski were brought to the Lighthouse Restaurant boat launch without incident.
– Fire News photo by Peter R. Barber
Niskayuna Garage Fire Ignites
Niskayuna Fire District 1 firefighters responded to a confirmed house fire on Hawthorne Road at 0530 hours on April 12, 2026. Upon arrival, firefighters found a ranch-style home with an attached garage fully involved, which had spread to a parked EV in the driveway. Mutual aid from the City of Schenectady responded and deployed a fire retardant tarp over the EV to smother the
flames. A Stanford Heights ladder deployed a fog pattern over the continually burning car. The cause was unknown and all occupants escaped safely. Niskayuna Fire District 2, Knolls Atomic Power Lab Fire Department, Alplaus, Rexford, and Mohawk Ambulance either assisted at the scene or were on standby.
– Fire News photos by Peter R. Barber
Menands Tony Zullo named FF of the Year
Menands Fire Company held its 102nd Installation of Officers banquet on April 18, 2026. During the event Tony Zullo was awarded the honor of being named Firefighter of the Year. Chief David Ognan, Assistant Chiefs Jonathan Dudley and Mike Steurer presented Tony with his award and congratulations.
– Submitted by Lori Washburn; Photos by Truck
House Fire on Mill St., in Sodus
On April 8, 2026, Sodus firefighters, with mutual aid, were dispatched to Mill Street for multiple calls reporting a fire. First arriving crews found fire coming from the attic of a single-story residential dwelling. Firefighters made a search while lines were put in place and the fire was quickly knocked down.
– Fire News photo by PuckStopperPhotography.com
Rochester Fire on Parsells Ave
In the evening hours of April 8, 2026, Rochester firefighters were dispatched to Parsells Avenue for multiple calls reporting a house on fire with people trapped. First arriving companies found smoke showing from a large two-story home and declared a working fire. As crews made entry, tenants living in the home, which had been converted into numerous apartments, confirmed everyone was out. Truck 4 reported fire in multiple rooms on the first floor in the rear of the structure. The fire was quickly knocked down and companies worked to put out some extension in the walls. The incident was quickly placed under control.
– Fire News photo by PuckStopperPhotography.com
House Fire on Brooks Ave.
On March 29, 2026, Rochester firefighters were dispatched to Brooks Avenue for the report of a fire. Companies arrived to heavy smoke coming from a large two-story home and declared a working fire. Lines were stretched and companies entered the building conducting searches as they looked for the seat of the fire in blackout conditions. Firefighters were faced with heavy fire conditions but were able to knock them down before they had a chance to extend throughout the home.
– Fire News photo by PuckStopperPhotography.com
NFPA TO HOST ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO IN LAS VEGAS ON JUNE
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) will host its annual Conference & Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on June 22 to -24, 2026. This comprehensive event brings together thousands of the industry’s leading professionals who will attend more than 130 educational sessions addressing the latest issues, challenges and trends in the world of fire, electrical, and life safety, including code compliance, emergency preparedness and response, emerging technologies, global safety issues, public education, building and construction safety, fire protection systems, industrial hazards, electrical safety, and more.
The NFPA Expo will feature more than 420 exhibitors, showcasing the latest products and services available to help meet and maintain compliance with prevailing codes and standards in the design, construction and operation of buildings and facilities of every kind.
22-24, 2026
of community risk reduction. The Spotlight on Latin America is a Spanish language program with targeted sessions covering current industry trends impacting Latin America.
Attendees will have access to three NFPA Specialty Theaters as well. The Facility Manager Theater, The Responder Theater and the Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study.
This year’s NFPA Spotlight on Public Education (SOPE) is a threeday program exclusively for individuals in the public education field, covering a wide range of public health topics and the powerful impact
Dan Chuparkoff, one of the world’s leading experts on AI, innovation, and the future of work, will be the keynote speaker at the conference’s opening general session.
Sharing his skill as an AI-educator combined with his formula for harnessing the power of innovation, Dan helps audiences escape disruption to find growth and success.
The NFPA Technical Meeting, which allows NFPA members and the public to express positions through debate on each certified amending motion (CAM), is scheduled to take place on June 25-26.
The NFPA Standards to be presented for action at the 2026 Technical Meeting are those with amending motions submitted to NFPA in advance of the meeting and certified by the Motions Committee of the Standards Council. Anyone who has been a continuously active member of the association since December 27, 2025 and is registered for the 2026 Tech Session, will be eligible to vote on all CAMs.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
Tribute LODD
Vestal’s Douglas John Rose, Sr.
It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Douglas John Rose, Sr., 66, on March 20, 2026.
Doug served the Vestal Fire Department and his community for more than 50 years. He was Chief of Station 1 from 2005 to 2023 and Department Chief from 2005 to 2007, serving with unwavering commitment, pride, and purpose.
Standing over seven-feet tall, Doug was truly larger than life. But, his imposing presence aside, the impact of Doug’s character and contributions will live on in the lives of everyone he led, mentored and stood beside.
Doug’s was a decisive voice in moments that mattered most. He led with honesty, never hesitating to offer guidance or correction when
needed, but always with the best interests of his firefighters and his department at heart. When decisions had to be made, all it took was four simple words from Doug: “Because I said so.” It was not just a phrase, it was the voice of experience, leadership, and a man who had earned the respect to say it.
There was no one more dependable, more knowledgeable about the fire service, and no one more dedicated to doing the job the right way.
Doug remained involved in department matters right up until the very end, a true testament to his love for the fire service, his colleagues, and the community.
Doug also proudly served with the Endicott Police Department from 1983 to 2003, retiring as a Sergeant.
Doug’s passing, related to colon cancer associated with his service, is considered a line-of-duty death – a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made long after the calls are over. Doug is survived by his wife of 34 years, Patricia; his daughter, Emily; his son, Doug Jr. (Tiffany), other relatives, and many friends.
- Fire News photos submitted by Clay Ellis, Vestal FD
