BROADALBIN — Local firefighters have been busy the past few days with a half-dozen of small, but potentially dangerous fires. The most recent was a fire in Broadalbin where a mobile home caught fire Tuesday, destroying it. No was injured in the blaze, but a pet lizard perished.
The structure fire occurred at Indian Village Trailer Park, 419 Union Mills Road, Lot 41.
At the scene were Broadalbin-Kennyetto Fire Company, Mayfield Fire Department, Perth Volunteer Fire Company and Greater Amsterdam Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Hagaman Fire Department was on stand-by for Broadalbin and Berkshire Fire Department was on stand-by for Perth.
Broadalbin-Kennyetto Fire Company Chief Scot Hall said the fire was mostly contained to the back end of the mobile home.
“There was heavy fire at the rear end of the trailer,” Hall said.
What caused the fire is unknown.
“We have an area of origin, but the cause is undetermined,” Hall said.
Hall said the trailer will have to be removed.
“It’s gutted in the back half of the trailer,” he added.
There was no damage done to neighboring trailers and there was no damage to the vehicles parked in the driveway next to the home.
Hall said there weren’t any injuries and everyone made it out safely, but unfortunately, the family’s pet lizard died.
With the snow and ice, firefighters had to put down sand to safely walk as they battled the fire.
Hall said even with the cold weather conditions the crews did good job and there weren’t any mechanical problems.
“Usually things freeze, but fortunately that didn’t happen,” Hall said.
Firefighters of Fulton and Saratoga counties had their hands full this week. Besides the Broadalbin fire, there were four additional structure fires — one in Johnstown, one in Perth, one in Edinburg and one in Bleecker.
“With it being cold everyone is pushing their heating systems to the limit,” said Steven Santa Maria, Fulton County Office of Civil Defense and Fire Coordinator last week.
On Dec 26, a fire occurred at 345 County Highway 112, Bleecker. Santa Maria said the occupant living in the home had brought in firewood for the wood stove and set the wood too close to the woodstove, which is what caused the fire. He said the fire was contained, so there was minor fire damage and smoke damage throughout the home. Santa Maria said there were no injuries.
“Fire wood should be kept three feet away from the wood stove,” Santa Maria said.
On that same day, there was a minor fire at 433 County Highway 158. That fire was caused when the chimney assembly to a pellet stove fell off. Again, there were no injures and everyone got out safely.
On Thursday, a fire occurred at 2282 Route 67 in the town of Johnstown in a 20- by 20 building behind Heagle’s furniture store. The fire was started because a heat lamp that was being used to keep chickens warm was knocked down.
That building was a “total loss” and minor damage was done to the furniture store.
Santa Maria said there were no injuries, but firefighters worked in icy conditions and the fire lasted from about 3:50 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.
On Friday, a two-story wood frame structure at 1574 S. Shore Road, Edinburg caught fire. That structure was also a total loss, but no one was injured.
Santa Maria said the bitter cold made it tough to put the fire out and the transit was freezing up.
