Hudson Firefighters were dispatched to 7 Academy Hill at 07:31 hours for a report of smoke alarms sounding and smoke coming from a residence. On arrival 2nd Assistant Chief Shawn Hoffman found heavy smoke showing from a townhouse style unit which was one of three attached residential dwellings.

Due to the water system being privately owned and not maintained by the city, the Hudson FD has preplanned this complex relying on the city water supply as a primary source for fire attack.

1st due Engine 30 dropped a 5 inch supply line from the intersection of Rossman Avenue and VanWinkle Drive and proceeded to lay 900 feet to the fire building. Tower Ladder 32 followed 30 in and set up in front of the building. Engine 28 left it's crew at the scene to assist with fire attack and connected to Engine 30's lay and dropped an additional 1,500 feet of supply line to a hydrant with a large main at the intersection of Prospect Avenue & Warren St. Engine 28 established a second 5 inch supply line from another large hydrant 300 feet west of it's original to guarantee there would be an adequate supply source. Engine 27-9 went to the city water treatment plant and set up operations as a secondary water source should it be needed.

1st Assistant Chief Anthony DeMarco Jr. arrived on the scene and assumed command. Greenport M-25 was summoned as the F.A.S.T. truck as well as Greenport Engine 25-1 and Catskill Tower Ladder 3-15. On arrival, M-25 was put to work assisting with opening the walls and ceilings and Claverack Rescue Engine 12-9 was called to act as the F.A.S.T. truck.

The crews from Engine 30 & 28 went right to work using two 2 inch attack lines knocking down visible fire on the first and second floor. Second floor operations were hindered by the fact that the building contained lightweight truss floor joists which had already failed causing portions of the floor to give way under the weight of the attack crew. Not being able to complete knockdown, a crew entered the second floor via a window and knocked down the remaining visible fire. Tower Ladder 32 completed the vent job on the roof by this point and reported fire coming from the ventilation hole. Interior members were able to pull the ceiling and knock down fire that had extended into the attic.

The building received extensive fire damage on the first and second floors with moderate damage to the lightweight roof trusses in the attic. Luckily the fire was knocked down before flame impingement on the lightweight roof trusses caused a roof collapse danger.

The fire was contained within 20 minutes of arrival. One firefighter was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital for a medical issue and will make a full recovery. No other injuries were reported.

Assisting at the scene were the Greenport Rescue Squad, Columbia County Fire Coordinators Office led by Fire Coordinator William Hunt, Columbia County EMS Coordinator P.J. Keeler, and Mayor Tiffany Hamilton.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Columbia County Cause and Origin Team and members of the Hudson Police Department Fire Investigations Team.

Standing by at the Central Station to answer calls in the city were Stottville FD with Tower Ladder L-50 and Engine 50-1, as well as Catskill with Engine 3-13.