Two Fires in the Near Westside Neighborhood Keep Syracuse Fire Busy

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On September 1, 2022 at 9:49 p.m., Syracuse firefighters were alerted by the 911 Center to a possible fire at 501 Tully Street. Air-1, the sheriff’s helicopter, was flying over and confirmed to dispatchers that the building was on fire. Firefighters from Station 6 (S. West St.) arrived in just over two minutes to find a 2½ story, wood framed, mixed-occupancy structure with heavy fire and smoke coming from the top floor. This structure was the former home to “Tully Pizza and Food,” but has been vacant in recent years.

Firefighters made an aggressive interior attack, making their way through the structure to the attic, where they were able to extinguish the fire. At the same time, other firefighters searched the structure for victims, and found none. The fire was successfully contained to the attic. There were no injuries reported and nobody was displaced from the vacant building. Firefighters remained on scene checking for hidden fire and ensuring complete extinguishment. Syracuse Fire Investigators determined the origin of the fire was the attic, but the cause is still under investigation.

While companies were still operating at 501 Tully, 911 calls were coming into the 911 Center at 11:00 p.m. about another possible house fire in the 700 block of Tully Street. Firefighters from Station 1 (S. State St.) were leaving the previous fire and arrived in one minute to find a 2-story, wood framed building that was engulfed in fire on the top floor and had fire through the roof. Fire officers noted that one side of the structure appeared to be structurally compromised and on the verge of collapse, as well as an unstable brick chimney. No entry was made to the building and a collapse zone was cordoned off and enforced by the safety officer.

Firefighters assumed defensive tactics and protected the threatened adjacent structures from the intense heat. They flowed water into the fire building from handlines, portable and aerial-mounted master-streams. These master streams were also used to knock over the unstable chimney to eliminate that hazard. Firefighters remained on scene extinguishing the fire and picking up their equipment until 2:45 a.m. There were no injuries reported and no persons displaced. The fire is under investigation by Syracuse Fire Investigators.

There is no established link between the two fires at this point. We thank our partners at the 911 Center, National Grid, Syracuse Police, AMR and the American Red Cross.