On Monday, February 2nd, at 0449 hours Potsdam Fire was dispatched to an odor of gas and a report of smoke filling the building at 4 Depot Street. Engine 49 (Crowe) responded at the alarm time and at 0450 hours Central Dispatch advised Engine 49 that there was a second call back stating "there were flames showing from the hardware store." Engine 49 requested a second alarm and arrived on scene at 0451 hours to find smoke issueing from a window on the first floor. Engine 49 proceeded to establish a water supply by driving to Market Square Mall to hit the nearest green hydrant and lay large diameter hose up Depot Street to Scanlon's. Rescue 14 (McLennan), Tower 5 (J. Keleher), Engine 48 (J. Corbett), and Engine 80 (R. Pierce) responded to the fire. Chief Justin Perry assumed Command and requested mutual aid at 0500 hours from West Potsdam Fire and West Stockholm Fire for manpower to the scene. At 0507 hours 36-1 requested Canton Fire with Tower 1 and also Norwood Fire, Norfolk Fire, and Hannawa Falls Fire to respond with manpower. Parishville Fire was requested to standby at Potsdam Station.
Firefighters made forcible entry into the 40 x 50 3 floor apartment section of the building and removed 4 occupants via the interior stairway.out of the apartments. Two occupants escaped heat and smoke conditions by exiting onto the peaked roof of the auto parts store were assisted off the far end of the roof by a firefighter. Firefighters then made entry into Scanlon's Auto and extinguished the fire that was burning freely in the store. Firefighters also made their way into the apartments extinguished the fire that has extended to the second and third floor. Tower 5 positioned in the rear parking lot to access the roof of the auto parts section of the building, while Tower 1 was set up on Depot Street to access to the roof of the apartments. Firefighters performed a trench cut to prevent extension of the fire. Smoke ejectors were used to ventilate the smoke out of the buildings, and thermal imaging camera was utilized to confirm that extension had been stopped and the fire extinguished. At 0522 hours the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team was requested to the scene. County Car 36 (B. Sullivan), County Car 14 (J. Gallagher), County Car 32 (C. Sherwin) and County Car 30 (J. Lacks) responded and began their investigation. The temperature at the time of the fire was approximately -10 degreees F. After picking up 1800 feet of 4 inch large diameter hose, 700 feet of 1 3/4", and 600 feet of 2 1/2" hose firefighters had to spend several hours thawing equipment and hose to place the trucks back in service for the next call. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Potsdam Fire was back in service at 1643 hours.