The first run of the night came in shortly after 02:00 am for a fire alarm, SUNY Potsdam Satterlee Hall. Upon arrival the alarm panel indicated a water flow alarm, the cause was determined to be a water leak in the sprinkler control room. Engine-49 cleared the scene and was back in service at 02:40.
At 04:00am the phones starting ringing nonstop at the fire station, fire alarm Clarkson Hall, trouble alarm Village sewage treatment plant, fire trouble University book store, fire trouble Clarkson carpenter shop and Potsdam PD reporting a transformer fire on Maple St. This many calls at once usually indicates a widespread power outage in the Village. Fire driver Pierce toned out Potsdam fire for two fire calls, alarm activation Clarkson and transformer fire on Maple St and Engine-49 responded to the reported transformer fire. As Engine-49 was leaving the station they were alerted by Central dispatch of a second transformer fire on Leroy St and that they were taking in a call for a MVA on Rte. 11 South of the Village. Central dispatch the re-toned Potsdam fire for the additional calls. With the additional tones off duty fire driver Robar reported to the station and responded with Engine-48 to the transformer fire on Leroy St. The fire was out on arrival and no hazards were found and Engine-48 responded to the alarm at Clarkson. Engine-49 arrived in the vicinity of the reported transformer fire on Maple Street and found nothing. As the seriousness of the MVA was unknown Engine-49 continued on to the MVA on Rte.11 South, in front of Roto Rooter. Engine-49 and 36-4 arrived at the MVA to find a pole had been sheared off and the pole and wires were hanging out into the roadway. 36-4 assessed the scene and it was determined the best course of action was to shut down that section of Rte.11 and he requested West Potsdam to the scene with fire police. Rte.11 was closed in the Village at Maple and Pine and at the Potsdam Morley Rd. Potsdam Rescue evaluated the driver and the vehicle and he was uninjured. Rte. 11 remained closed until National Grid arrived and secured the pole. All Potsdam units were back in service at 07:17 am.