Major Water Break Displaces High Rise Residents
 
By Past Fire Chief Robert Crowe
January 23, 2019
 

On January 23, 2019 at 1906 hours, Canton Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a reported sprinkler flow activation at 37 Riverside Drive, Canton Housing Authority high rise residence building. Assistant Chief Shawn McGregor arrived on scene 3 minutes later reporting a major rupture of a large standpipe above the 7th floor and requested a second alarm. Rescue 1 and Rescue 36 arrived shortly after. Assistant Chief Aldous arrived and assumed Command while Chief McGregor continued to run operations. Fire crews were able to shut off the flow off water and started assessing the damage. Canton Code Enforcement was called in as well as the Canton Village Mayor. It was then determined that it would be best to evacuate the building as the water had penetrated the electrical systems of the building. Canton Central School was contacted to provide busses for transportation, the Best Western was contacted for rooms and Lawrence/McKay Ambulette was contacted to provide transport for those that were not ambulatory. Fire/EMS crews assisted tenants from their apartments to the buses while some of crews continued the clean up process. All tenants were removed and a final room to room sweep was completed before turning the building back over to the Housing Authority. No injuries were reported by tenants or first responders and Canton Fire & Rescue was back in service at 2347 hours. Our Thanks goes out to Canton Central School, Lawrence/McKay Ambulette, Best Western, Canton Code Enforcement and Canton Housing Authority maintenance for assistance.

 
Units: Rescue 1,