At approximately 14:32 hours St Lawrence County Central Dispatch dropped the tones for Canton Fire to respond to 82 State Street in the village for a reported possible garage fire. FF/AEMT-CC Eric Walraven was the first to arrive at the scene, and a 2nd alarm was requested to be transmitted for Canton Fire as well as mutual aid from Morley FD for a working structure fire in a 2-story wood frame residence. Canton's Engine 6 and Tower-Ladder 1 arrived to find heavy fire was pushing from the garage and heavy smoke showing from the first and second floors of the residence. Initial crews encountered several explosions as a number of propane tanks in the fully involved garage ruptured. Additional Canton units arrived shortly thereafter along with 3rd Assistant Chief Brian McCluskey (4-4) who assumed command of the incident and began requesting mutual aid from Rennselaer Falls FD and Potsdam FD. Canton Firefighters stretched multiple large caliber hand lines to knock down the seat of the fire in the garage and performed a thourgh overhaul to find and extinguish any extension into the residence. All occupants were able to escape the home. The homeowner was able to save several pets and firefighters rescued a dog, however several more perished in the fire.
Quick work was made of the fire in the garage and the fire was stopped before it could extend into the main part of the residence. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported at this fire. The home owners reported that they had been boiling maple sap in a couple turkey fryers in the garage but the exact cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation by the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team. All units were back in service by 17:09 hours
