The tones dropped at 2006 hours for a reported fire in the vicinity of McCarthy's Furniture Barn on West Main Street. Addtional information being received by the 911 Center indicated that this was a structure fire with the possibility of one individual still in the structure. 1st Assistant Chief Robert Crowe arrived on scene to find a working fire in a single family residence with heavy fire on the first floor in the front of the residence and smoke throughout. One victim had been able to escape from the residence and was suffering from smoke inhalation. It was confirmed that a second victim remained in the structure, however due to the volume of fire, a rescue attempt prior to the arrival of fire apparatus was not possible. Chief Crowe established command and then began making the initial assignments and requesting additional resources Engine 6 arrived on scene at 2009, catching the hydrant at West Main and Commerce Lane and laying into the scene. 3rd Assistant Chief Brian McCluskey arrived on scene and relieved to operator of Engine 6, FF Tim Gavin, so he could be the fourth FF on the initial attack team. Members immediately stretched handlines and gained entry through the front door of the residence. Firefighters encountered furniture on the inside of the door which impeded their progress as the front door was apparently not used buy the residents. Chief Mike Dalton was assigned as the Operations Chief while 2nd Assistant Chief Matt McGregor was assigned to the B side of the house. Tower 1 arrived on scene and was placed in service to the roof to ventilate the structure. Addtional members streched backup handlines and worked to knock down the fire. The victim was located on the first floor and unfortunately had succumbed to the products of combustion. Engine 8 was positioned on a hydrant on Commerce Lane and laid in to the parking lot behind the Claxton Hepburn Medical Clinic and stretched lines to the rear of the structure. Morley Engine 32 laid from Tower 1 to a hydrant in front of the former United Helpers Nursing home and fed the tower. Mutual aid was provided by Morley Fire (engine and manpower), Potsdam Fire (manpower) and Rennselaer Falls Fire (manpower). Pyrites Fire moved an engine and manpower to Canton Station to stand by and Potsdam Rescue provided an ambulance to stand by at the scene and cover any calls in Canton. The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation by the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team. No operating smoke detectors were noted in the building and the blocked front door may have contributed to occupants' inability to access a secondary means of egress from the house. In addition to the civilian injuries, one firefighter suffered a dislocated shoulder. All Canton units were back in service at 0156 hours. A fire watch remained at the scene through the night to control hot spots as they appeared as well as maintain custody of the scene for the fire investigators to return in the daylight to continue the investigation.
