Syracuse, NY- On July 13, 2023, at 2:46 p.m., Syracuse Firefighters were alerted by the Onondaga County 911 Center to a report of a fire alarm activation at 710-712 Lodi Street, the Ross Towers Apartments. A typical response to a fire alarm activation with no additional information is one engine company and one truck company, along with a district chief. Firefighters from Station 9 and Station 2 arrived on the scene moments later and were met at the front door of the 12-story apartment building by residents reporting a fire in Tower B, 710 Lodi. The Chief in command immediately requested the balance of a structure fire response: two engines, the rescue company, and the squad company. As firefighters from Engine 9 and Truck 2 made their way to the 10th floor, where the alarms were activated, they encountered heavy black smoke filling the hallways and getting into the stairways. A signal ’99’ was transmitted.
As firefighters arrived on the 10th floor, they were met with a wall of blinding smoke from floor to ceiling in the hallways. One team of firefighters began to connect hoses to the building’s standpipe system, and another team began a systematic search of the floor to locate the source of the smoke. During this search, firefighters forced their way into multiple smoke-filled apartments. At each apartment, they encountered residents that needed assistance and safely got them to fresh air. As they came to apartment 1008, they forced open the door, located 2 more occupants and located the fire. As the truck crew moved the occupants out of the fire apartment, the engine moved in to extinguish the fire. Additional units arrived on the scene to assist with operations and brought additional hoses to the upper floors, searched all apartments on the tenth floor and above for victims, and carried equipment to the roof to ventilate the smoke. No additional victims were located, and the fire did not extend past the apartment of origin. Sadly, a dog was found deceased in the fire apartment. Firefighters rescued a second dog from the apartment; they provided treatment at the scene, and the dog was transported to a local animal hospital.
Four victims were removed from the 10th floor. Three were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by Syracuse Fire personnel and AMR. The fourth was transported to a local hospital by AMR for further evaluation and treatment. No injuries were reported to firefighters. The apartment where the fire originated, 1008, sustained heavy smoke, fire, and water damage. The American Red Cross was on the scene to assist any displaced occupants, though most were expected to be able to return to their homes. Syracuse Fire Investigators were on the scene, working to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
A total of 47 fire personnel responded to this fire, including command and support staff. Syracuse Fire Department Ambulance, Syracuse Police, American Medical Response, National Grid, and The American Red Cross also responded to the scene. We thank our partners at the 911 Center, SPD, AMR, National Grid, and the Red Cross.