Tenant detects Keeseville fire, alerts tenants

Nov. 12--KEESEVILLE -- A Keeseville man carried a partially paralyzed woman out of their burning apartment building and then knocked on the remaining two apartment doors, alerting the other tenants to the blaze.

Lee Spoor, his 6-year-old son and three other families were displaced Sunday night by the fire that destroyed their apartment house and most of their possessions.

Nine adults and three children were left homeless by the fire at at 22 Church St.

Spoor smelled something burning shortly before 11 p.m. and began looking out his windows to see if someone had a campfire going, he said.

When he glanced out his kitchen window, he saw flames shooting from the back of the building, about 5 feet from his face, he said.

ALERTED TENANTS

He ran to Niki Barcomb's apartment first, he said, because the woman had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed on the left side of her body, and he knew she couldn't walk well.

Spoor carried her out and then alerted the remaining tenants. Two of them weren't home, he said.

Neither was his son.

When Keeseville Volunteer Fire Department arrived, heavy fire was showing from the back of the structure.

Firefighters initially tried to attack the blaze from the interior, but when that didn't work, they backed out and battled it from outside, Fire Chief Michael Stranahan said.

The old construction and lack of firewalls allowed the flames to travel rapidly into the attic and then into the front of the building, he said.

The structure was gutted by the fire, and the roof in the front section of the T-shaped, four-unit apartment building collapsed.

'IN MOURNING'

Stranahan didn't know the names of the other tenants; no one he'd spoken to had renters insurance.

He said the North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross was notified, however.

The owners, Susan and Rob Greene, said the residents don't have anything left but the clothes they were wearing when they evacuated the building.

"Our tenants are very special people, and we're all in mourning," Rob said.

"The Red Cross is helping them."

They declined to comment further; they didn't say whether they have insurance on the property.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation, Stranahan said.

Mutual aid to his department was provided by fire companies from Willsboro, Morrisonville, South Plattsburgh, AuSable and Peru.

All departments were back in service by 5:30 a.m.

HOW TO HELP

Lee Spoor and his son are in need of the following items.

Men's clothing: 32x32 pants, large shirts, large jacket, size 12 shoes.

Children's items: Size-6 boy's clothing, size 1 shoes, toys.

To arrange drop off or pick up, call 518-565-6328.

Names and/or needs of other tenants weren't available.

Email Bob Bennett:

[email protected]

Twitter: @BobBennett3

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