Fire heavily damaged the Harmony Acres building Sunday, but more than 10 fire departments managed to save the Cobleskill landmark.
Flames tore through the roof and upstairs apartments, but businesses on the ground floor suffered mostly smoke and water damage, according to Cobleskill Assistant Chief Rick Albert.
He said the fire started when a tenant tried to attach a device to an electrical outlet. The tenant was inexperienced and had improper tools, Chief Albert said.
The work created a short, and the fire started in the wall shortly before 12:30.
“We had two trucks there in two minutes,” Chief Albert said. “The fire was in the second story on the left side.
“Right off the bat we called mutual aid. With the holiday, a lot of guys weren’t around.”
All the occupants evacuated the building, but not without incident.
The tenant who had inadvertently started the fire came out and was approached by Cobleskill Assistant Chief Aaron Cooper.
“I asked if everyone was out, and he said yes,” Chief Cooper said. “Then it dawned on him that three young people were asleep in a back bedroom.”
Chief Cooper went back in, and pounded on the door to wake the three.
“There was a lot of smoke, and by the time we got them out, the flames were into the ceiling,” he said. “Another two minutes, and they would have had to bail out a back window.”
Aerial trucks from Cobleskill and Middleburgh battled the fire on the two front sides of the building, and other departments joined in: Richmondville, Summit, Sharon Springs, Carlisle, Central Bridge, Worcester, East Worcester, Duanesburg and Quaker Street.
The fire raced through the old walls and into the ceiling and the roof.
Firefighters, however, managed to contain the damage to the second floor and the roof. They had the fire under control in about 90 minutes but stayed on the scene till about 7pm.
“All of the firefighters there did an excellent job,” Chief Albert said. “We couldn’t ask for more.”
Three firefighters were taken to Cobleskill Regional Hospital for smoke-related injuries, he said. All the tenants were safe.
The large wood-frame structure, built in 1820, was the United States Hotel and was later Lambert’s, a clothing store.
It’s been Harmony Acres for years, though the business moved from the front of the building to the back. The business suffered smoke damage, according to Mayor Mark Nadeau.
Flashback Comic Books had just opened on the right side of the front. Mayor Nadeau said he’s looking for a new site for the store.
The building is owned by Tom Blair, and Mayor Nadeau was unsure of his plans.
Adding to its historic value, the building is viewed as a downtown landmark.
What happens to it should concern all of Cobleskill, according to Jacqui Hauser, executive director of Cobleskill Partnership Inc., the downtown improvement organization.
“It’s pretty badly damaged,” Ms. Hauser said. “It’s a shame. I just hope people rally around and help the businesses and help the building.”