Canton Fire, along with Canton Rescue and County Car 4, was dispatched to a reported house fire at 62 CR 32 (the old county home road) at 1541 hours. Canton 4-3 (Asst. Chief Johnson) went enroute and requested the Tanker Task Force, as the smoke column was visible from several miles away. Additional dispatch information was that there were two victims on scene who needed evaluation for burns. Engine 7 and Tanker 20 responded and arrived on scene at 1551. Engine 7's crew laid large diameter hose up the long driveway and stretched lines to attack the fire. Engine 8 responded shortly thereafter and set up a tanker dump site at the end of the driveway. As additional personnel and apparatus arrived on scene, the were deployed to assist in the firefighting efforts. Cold temperatures, a congested roadway, and heavy fire conditions all make the firefighting operation a difficult one.
Canton Rescue transported the two occupants of the home to Canton-Potsdam Hospital for evaluation of burn and smoke inhalation injuries. The Town of Canton Highway Department responded with a plow truck and spread a heavy layer of salt in the road in an around the scene to mitigate ice issues. Mutual aid was received at the scene from Morley Fire, Pyrites Fire, Rennselaer Falls Fire, West Potsdam Fire, Potsdam Fire, Madrid Fire and Lisbon Fire with another crew from Morley filling tankers at Canton Fire Station. There were no firefighter injuries and all Canton Fire units were back in service at 2200 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team.
The department would like to thank all the agencies that came to assist as well as the Sergi family who donated pizzas and bottled water for members working at the fire.