WARNERS — Firefighters from multiple departments battled a multi-occupancy fire Friday morning in the Warners-Memphis Fire District, with crews remaining on scene for several hours as utilities worked to secure hazardous conditions, officials said.
Howlett Hill Fire Department said it was dispatched at 6:33 a.m. Jan. 16, 2026, to provide mutual aid on the initial alarm. Heavy fire and smoke were visible as Howlett Hill’s Heavy Rescue-22 crew and chiefs arrived. The department was assigned as the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), a standby crew positioned to rescue firefighters if an emergency occurs, and also assisted with operations as needed.
Warners incident command later declared a Signal 99, indicating a working fire, according to statements from responding agencies.
Utility hazards complicated the response. Howlett Hill said National Grid and NYSEG were requested to shut down a downed power line and secure natural gas service at the scene. By about 8:30 a.m., the bulk of the fire had been extinguished and the incident timer was stopped, the department reported.
For safety reasons, adjacent roads and streets remained closed until about 11:30 a.m., officials said.
Onondaga Hill Fire Department also responded after being specially added at about 7:08 a.m. with Ladder 2, staffed by Firefighter Saw, to assist at the Signal 99 multi-occupancy fire. Upon arrival, the ladder crew was assigned to outside suppression while the ladder pipe was put into operation to knock down fire in the roof area. Onondaga Hill crews remained on scene for about 2½ hours before returning to service.
No injuries or information on occupants displaced was included in the departments’ initial social media statements. The cause of the fire and extent of damage were not released Friday.
