Maintenance Garage Fire at Taconic Correctional Facility
 
By Chief of Department Dean W. Pappas
January 17, 2018
 

Late Tuesday night, Katonah Fire Department was dispatched to a report of smoke in the structure at the Taconic Correctional Facility on Harris Road. Upon arrival, Car 2211 reported smoke in a maintenance building outside of the prison fence. Prison staff had already opened the garage door to the maintenance structure. A smoke condition from a previous fire was discovered, along with an oil/fuel spill of approximately 50 gallons. Car 2211 requested a response from the Westchester County Hazardous Materials Team. Car 2212 arrived on scene and assumed Operations responsibilities. Meanwhile, Engine 115 arrived and deployed an inch-and-three-quarter pre-connected line. Crews made entry into the garage and conducted a quick search, discovering 45 ppm carbon monoxide inside. At that point, Westchester EMS was called to check on the four prison staffers who had been in or near the building at the time of the fire. After the interior search, fire crews were pulled out of the structure and the focus was on containing the oil/fuel spill, which came from a waste oil storage container and a melted plastic fuel tank from the plow truck that was parked inside the building. Ladder 39 arrived on scene and extended to the roof to check for any possible extension from the fire. Tanker 6 and Engine 117 also arrived on scene to provide additional water and personnel. After the spill was contained and it was confirmed that there was no active fire, Zone 5 Cause and Origin arrived on scene to conduct an investigation. Additionally, the Westchester County Hazardous Materials team arrived on scene to assist prison staff with getting a vendor for cleaning up the spilled fuel.The scene was turned over to the prison staff for cleanup and Katonah units went back in service after operating there for about two hours. Katonah Fire Department extends its thanks to Westchester EMS, Zone 5 Cause and Origin, Westchester County Hazardous Materials team, Westchester County Car 4, and the state DEC for their response and assistance, as well as to the Taconic Correctional Facility staff for its support during this incident. We also extend our thanks to Bedford HIlls Fire Department for standing by in its quarters to cover our district while our apparatus was committed to the scene.

 
Units: Car 2211, Car 2212, Engine 115, Engine 117, Tanker 6, Ladder 39, WEMS, Westchester County Hazardous Materials team, Westchester County Car 4