The Ithaca Fire Department faced a challenging night as crews responded to two separate structure fires on Wednesday, November 8, in addition to other routine calls.
The first incident occurred around 10 p.m. at an encampment located behind businesses on Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway. Firefighters arrived to find a fully engulfed structure, compounded by the explosion of propane cylinders and burning lithium-ion batteries.
During the initial firefighting efforts, a bystander informed the crew that someone might be inside the burning structure. After extinguishing the flames, firefighters conducted a thorough search of the area. The occupant, who was initially thought to be inside, returned to the scene unharmed during the search. Firefighters remained on-site for about 90 minutes to ensure the fire was completely suppressed and the area was safe.
A second fire was reported around 12:30 a.m. at Therm Incorporated on Hudson Street. Upon arrival, the fire crew observed smoke emanating from the building. Employees at the scene indicated that a large piece of equipment had malfunctioned and caught fire. The firefighters quickly controlled the situation using fire extinguishers and by de-energizing the equipment, spending approximately an hour on the scene. No injuries were reported in either of the incidents, and the causes of the fires are under investigation.
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