Ticonderoga fire under investigation

Oct. 12--TICONDEROGA -- The Ticonderoga Police Department is asking for public assistance as it investigates the cause of a small fire that erupted Wednesday morning at a duplex on Race Track Road.

The Police Department is working in conjunction with Essex County Emergency Services on the probe.

"At this point, we're look at it as a suspicious fire with minimal damage to the side of the building," Police Chief Mark Johns told the Press-Republican Wednesday afternoon.

OUT BEFORE ARRIVAL

Ticonderoga Volunteer Fire Department Third Assistant Chief Mike LaVallie said the call reporting the fire came in at around 10 a.m.

When he and about 15 other volunteer firefighters arrived at 56 Race Track Road with two trucks, some residents had already extinguished the small blaze.

The Fire Department notified the Essex County Cause and Origin Team and Ticonderoga Code Enforcement Officer William Ball when they could not determine what had caused the fire.

Ti Police and National Grid also responded, LaVallie said.

SILL PLATE

The fire damaged a spot that measured about 3 by 3 feet on the exterior wall, LaVallie said.

Flames had started to burn the wood behind the building's sill plate across the bottom of that wall, and it had to be removed, he added.

LaVallie believed there are two apartments inside the one-story structure, which he estimated measures 60 by 80 feet.

The assistant chief did not know the owner's name or whether that person or the tenants had insurance, but he believed the building was recently sold.

RED CROSS

Firefighters remained at the duplex for about 45 minutes to make sure there was no extension of the fire in the walls, LaVallie said.

That involved pulling apart the outside wall to find the origin and using a thermal-imaging camera.

"Nobody was hurt, but I believe Red Cross was notified to put one or two of the tenants up because of the condition of the apartment," LaVallie said.

The search for fire did not leave any part of the apartment's interior exposed, he said, but power did have to be disconnected.

The inside did not suffer any damage, though there was some smoke.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the Ticonderoga Police Department at 585-2205.

Email Cara Chapman:

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Twitter: @PPR_carachapman

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