Several fire departments were dispatched to a multi-family dwelling fire in the historic town of Port Kent NY on Jan. 20.
The building was previously a hotel serving the community in Adirondack Park on the shores of Lake Champlain. It is now converted to seven apartments.
Upon arrival of the first units, fire was visible from the D side and an aggressive interior attack was ordered.
Approximately 10 to 15 minutes into operations the entire second floor exploded in what was believed to be a backdraft. Following the explosion, the entire attic was fully involved and all personal were evacuated an began defensive operations.
Firefighters had to deal with the extreme cold, with temperatures well below zero for several hours to extinguish the fire.
Two aerial master streams, one deck gun, and several handlines were used. An entire fleet of tankers was used to haul water from the nearby ferry docks to portable ponds.
