by Bea Peterson
The Hoosick Fire Department responded to an alarm at the Jacques family home on Baertschi Road off Babcock Lake Road at 4:23 am Wednesday, January 26. Seven fire departments responded to the blaze. They were Hoosick, Pittstown, Hoosick Falls, West Hoosick, North Hoosick, Grafton and Raymertown. “It’s a one lane road with no place to turn the trucks around,” said Hoosick Fire Chief Bill Rifenburgh. “We had to run 1,500 feet of five inch hose.” Once the system was set up and they got started, they had good water pressure, Rifenburgh said.
The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical and started in the garage. The garage and the kitchen of the home and an attic space above the kitchen were destroyed. The rest of the home received smoke and some water damage.
The three adults who live there were home at the time. One adult was taken to the hospital for evaluation for smoke inhalation. She was treated and released. Another adult suffered minor cuts to his hands. Chief Rifenburgh said the Red Cross was called in to assist the family.
The Hoosick Fire Department returned to quarters at 10:30 am.