7 Firefighters Injured Battling 2 Blazes In Newburgh

NEWBURGH, NY — Three firefighters were injured in a Saturday evening basement fire and four in a Monday apartment building blaze, and the Newburgh firefighters union is angry.

The Saturday call came in at 6:50 p.m. and firefighters found a heavy volume of smoke and fire coming from the basement and first floor of the house, city officials said in a news release.

The first responders were the on-duty crew of seven, according to union officials.

As firefighters began searching and establishing that everyone was out of the house, two members stretched hose lines in to begin extinguishing the fire. Conditions worsened as firefighters established that everyone was out of the house and stretched hose lines, city officials said.

"With limited manpower, the fire had the opportunity to extend to the upper floors," said City of Newburgh Firefighters IAFF Local 589 on Facebook.

Coming to the city's assistance were firefighters from the Beacon FD, Castle Point VAFD, Coldenham FD, Cronomer Valley FD, Good Will FD, Stewart Air Guard FD, and the West Point FD. Mobile Life support and Newburgh PD assisted at the scene, city officials said.

While crews were operating on the second floor, a flashover occurred and two firefighters were burned, city officials said. Both firefighters and a lieutenant suffering from heat exhaustion were transported to St. Luke’s hospital for treatment. The fire was under control at 7:54 p.m.

One of the injured firefighters was from the Air National Guard crew at Stewart, the union said.

On Monday, the department was called to a fire at a three-story apartment building on Overlook Place. It went to three alarms. Four firefighters were injured, the union said.

City officials said a news release on the Overlook Place fire would be issued sometime Tuesday.