COHOES, N.Y. -— A section of Route 32 remained closed Thursday after a stubborn fire at a warehouse caused part of the building to collapse near the bridge that links the city to Waterford.
The fire began just after midnight at Shelter Enterprises Inc., a maker of packing products and foam insulation for homes.
It is unclear what started the blaze, but firefighters have been at the scene for hours and continue to douse the building. Firefighters said an initial investigation showed no sign the fire was deliberately set.
The building is just south of the Cohoes-Waterford Bridge, which is closed.
City officials urge motorists to find alternate routes to get from southern Saratoga County to Albany County.
Firefighters initially tried to battle the blaze from inside the building, but the flames grew intense, weakening the structure and forcing them out of the building, Capt. Will Charbonneau said.
A firefighter sprained an ankle but no one else was hurt by the fire.
City officials do not believe smoke from the fire poses an environmental hazard, but they have called in the state Department of Environmental Conservation to assess air quality and chemical runoff into the nearby Mohawk and Hudson rivers.
Copyright 2012 - Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
