Woman taken to hospital after Syracuse high-rise fire

Syracuse, N.Y.-- Dozens of emergency vehicles flooded the entrance to a Syracuse apartment building after smoke was seen throughout the building Tuesday.

Around 5:32 a.m., the Syracuse Fire Department received reports of smoke on multiple floors of the Brighton Towers building 2, at 821 East Brighton Ave., District Chief Leonard Danielwicz said.

A fire had started in the fifth-floor apartment’s living room, and smoke quickly traveled through the 18-story building, Danielwicz said.

The sole resident of the apartment got out of the building on her own, he said. She was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, Danielwicz said.

Despite the smoke in the building, 911 dispatchers told several residents to shut their doors and shelter in place, Danielwicz said. The building’s fireproof doors were able to keep the smoke out of most apartments, he said.

The fire on the fifth floor was put out in less than 10 minutes, Danielwicz said. Crews spent around an hour ventilating smoke from the high-rise building.

The apartment where the fire started sustained moderate damage, Danielwicz said. The resident will not be able to return to her apartment, according to a news release from the Syracuse Fire Department.

Minor smoke and water damage were seen on the floors above and below the fire, he said.

Danielwicz said that high-rise building fires pose greater risks than house fires due to the number of people that could be in danger. He requested additional units to assist despite the fire being put out quickly, he said.

Around two dozen emergency vehicles filled the entrance and parking lot of the apartment building.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.