Fire on Far West Side Displaces Five

Published on July 18, 2024

Syracuse, NY- On Thursday, July 18, 2024, at 4:22 p.m., Syracuse Firefighters were alerted by the Onondaga County 911 Center to a possible fire at 1310 Willis Avenue. Firefighters from Station 5, on North Geddes Street, arrived on the scene moments later to find heavy smoke and fire showing from windows on the first floor of the two-story, multiple-family home. A signal ‘99’ was transmitted, indicating a working fire.

The first arriving units began to stretch hoses to the structure, while teams of firefighters prepared to search the building for any trapped occupants. As additional units arrived at the scene, more hoses were stretched to the building and additional searches were started. Crews entering through the front door of the first-floor apartment encountered heavy flames and intense heat as they began the firefight. Crews moved through the first floor extinguishing the fire as they moved toward the back of the house. Other hose teams extinguished fire that had begun to spread to other parts of the first and second floor. All searches were negative, the occupants of the home were able to escape prior to the Fire Department’s arrival. Firefighters rescued one cat from an apartment adjacent to the fire apartment.

The first-floor apartment where the fire began suffered extensive fire, smoke, and water damage. Another apartment on the first floor, as well as both second-floor apartments also suffered smoke and water damage. A hole was cut in the roof to help release trapped smoke and heat. The main body of the fire was knocked down in approximately 10 minutes. Crews remained on the scene for over an hour, checking for hidden fire spread, and assisting investigators. Syracuse Fire Investigators were at the scene working to determine the origin and cause of the fire. That investigation is ongoing. At least five occupants were displaced by this fire. They were being assisted by the Red Cross. There were no injuries reported to civilians or to Fire Department personnel.

A total of 42 Fire Department personnel responded to this incident, 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.