Syracuse, NY, Crews Battled Blaze at Vacant College for 26 Hours
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Syracuse, N.Y. — After 26 hours of work, Syracuse firefighters finished putting out the fire at the former Maria Regina College Saturday night.
The last of identified hot spots were put out just after 8 p.m., according to Capt. Phillip Vogt, a fire department spokesperson.
Some fire crews will remain at the building into and possibly through the night on a fire watch, Vogt said. Around 9 p.m. Saturday, only two fire trucks remained at 1024 Court St. One fire truck was parked inside the fence on the property shining spotlights on the building.
They will be monitoring the building to make sure no new hot spots are detected, Vogt said.
One of the fire units remaining at the building has a tethered drone, Vogt said. Depending on the conditions, fire crews may use it to make sure no new pockets of fire appear in the building.
Police still had Court Street closed to traffic Saturday night at the intersection of Grant Boulevard and Burdick Avenue with caution tape surrounding the building and sidewalk across the street.
No injuries to firefighters were reported Saturday, Vogt said. One firefighter was treated Friday night for exhaustion, firefighters said. That firefighter fought an earlier house fire on Carbon Street less than an hour before heading to the Court Street fire.
Most of the roof collapsed Friday night and large holes and burns could be seen in the roof Saturday evening. Water was still running down Court Street Saturday night from the open hydrants and hoses used by fire crews.
The fire started at 6:30 p.m. Friday and the county 911 center got multiple calls that there were flames coming from the top of the old Maria Regina College building, according to 911 dispatchers.
On the fourth floor, they encountered “extreme heat” and “a lot of fire,” firefighters said in a news release Saturday.
Because of concerns for structural stability, firefighters stopped fighting the fire from the inside. Six minutes after firefighters were pulled, a chimney collapsed on the roof. Overnight more of the building collapsed.
Thousands of gallons of water were needed each minute, firefighters said. The city has been struggling with low water pressure.
Firefighters laid their hoses thousands of feet by hand to be able to use water from three different water main districts. This allowed them to have adequate water pressure and also ensure the North Side of the city had enough water pressure, they said.
The cause of the fire is still being determined, firefighters said.
The four-story, brick building was designed by famed Syracuse architect Archimedes Russell and constructed in 1896.
The building, also known as the Motherhouse of St. Anthony’s Convent, was home for the Sisters of St. Francis for years.
The convent was once home to Sister Marianne Cope, a member of the convent who was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 2012.
For many years, the site was also housed Maria Regina College. The Catholic junior college for women was founded in 1961 and closed in 1988.
Staff writer Greta Stuckey covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at [email protected].
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