At 10:21pm on Christmas Eve Hudson Firefighters were dispatched for a fire alarm activation at 350 Columbia St.

On arrival firefighters found water coming from the upper floors and proceeded to investigate the source. Upon entering the second floor hallway members observed smoke coming from around the closed door to the second floor apartment. They forced entry and found the sprinkler system had been activated in two areas due to a fire within the apartment.

The Greenport Fire Department was requested to the scene with their Fire Fighter Assist and Search Team (FAST) and the Catskill Fire Department was placed on standby in their firehouse.

No one was at home in the apartment when firefighters arrive but the remainder of the apartments were occupied at the time of the blaze.

Due to the location of the fire in the building it is likely that presence of the sprinklers as well as hard wired smoke detectors saved the third floor residents from becoming trapped above the fire and/or seriously injured.

We would like to commend the building owner for their commitment to protecting the lives of their tenants.

Although damage from the fire was minimal, there is extensive water damage which was cause by the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported.

The cause is being investigated by the Fire Investigations Unit from the Hudson Police Department.