The fire, which broke out as a blizzard was dropping 11.5 inches of snow on the region, was caused by an exploding propane tank, Fire Chief James Van Voorst said.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Falkouski collapsed next to his car shortly after he arrived at the 2 a.m. blaze, Van Voorst said. "He was found lying on the ground by one of the neighbors," he said.
Firefighters ran to Falkouski's aid and began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation while waiting for an ambulance crew to arrive.
They waited a long time, Van Voorst said.
There was no driver available for Rensselaer's volunteer ambulance corps, so the Fire Department had to wait for an ambulance from Nassau to arrive on a return trip from Albany to take Falkouski to Albany Memorial Hospital. "It took quite some time to get an ambulance," the chief said.
Rensselaer and the volunteer ambulance unit pay paramedics to ride on the ambulance, but the rescue relies on volunteers to drive the vehicles. Fire officials were unsure why there was no driver available Sunday morning.
Falkouski was listed in critical condition, authorities said.
Meanwhile, firefighters said Jeff Williams was burned on his chest and arms when a propane tank he used on his catering cart exploded in the garage. Van Voorst said firefighters were unsure what Williams was doing in the garage or why the tank exploded.
Williams was initially taken to Albany Med, but later transferred to Westchester Medical Center's burn unit.
In addition to the flames and the snow, firefighters also had to contend with frozen hydrants that reportedly slowed initial efforts to extinguish the flames.
The fire gutted the garage.
"Mike is a great guy," Mayor Mark Pratt said of Falkouski, who he added had been with the department for decades. "He's truly a great asset to the city of Rensselaer and he's a great firefighter."
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