Multiple Unit Garage Fire at Norstar Apartments

July 3rd, 2012

Moyers Corners was alerted to a structure fire in the garages at the back of the Norstar Apartments off of Henry Clay Boulevard. Numerous callers reported hearing explosions in the multi-unit garage adjacent to the last three-story apartment building in the complex. Car 4 [Chief Zaferakis] marked out first, followed by Car 3 [Chief Crispin], Battalion 1 [Chief Bailey] and Battalion 2 [Chief Brown]. Car 2 [Chief Perkins] arrived first with heavy fire from the structure and struck the Signal 99. He then established command. Engine 31 [Lt. Montague] arrived first followed by Truck 2 [Lt. Mather]. The truck went to the air with an elevated master stream while two and a half inch handlines were being stretched by Engine 21, Engine 31, Engine 32, and Engine 41 [Lt. Watson]. Multiple explosions occurred while crews made the attack from the "A" side of the multiple unit garage. Engines 31 and 32 then started their attack from the "C" side. Rescue 4 [Lt. Goodson], Engine 11  and Ladder 1 [Lt. Schweitzer] assisted with forcible entry of numerous garages. All hands were working on the scene. Due to the bulk of the fire and a need for additional manpower and resources, a second alarm was requested. Units from Clay, North Syracuse, Liverpool, and Cicero arrived at the scene and assisted with forcible entry, overhaul and extinguishment. The fire was knocked down within an hour. Numerous Onondaga County Fire Investigators were on the scene determining the cause. Using Battalion 2's command vehicle, a crew from Rescue 4 pulled two vehicles out of the rubble to assist the investigators. Crews were back in service by 0300 on the 4th of July. All teams combined their efforts on this muggy evening to stop the fire from extending the entire length of the multi-unit garage. NAVAC's rehabilitation unit was called to the scene as well as Jim's Service Center to remove multiple vehicles from various garages. 

Part 2