N.Y. Firefighter Suffers Neck Injury in Fall

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Dec. 19--TUPPER LAKE -- Tupper resident Arnold Strader was listed in fair condition in a Burlington hospital on Monday, three days after rescue from his burning home.

The fire call for the house at 12 Berkley Ave. went out Friday afternoon, including the word "entrapment," said Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Paul Maroun, who is also Tupper Lake mayor.

"... and everybody was on scene quick," he said. "The Fire Department search team went in -- their mission is to search and find people trapped in a burning building."

The ensuing fire fight also led to the injury of firefighter Ian McLear, who fell during a rooftop ventilation procedure.

He was also taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington on Friday but was able to return home on Saturday.

TRAPPED IN BASEMENT

McLear is a lineman for the Village of Tupper Lake Electric Department, and Strader is married to past village mayor and former town administrator Sandy Strader.

"Mr. Strader was trapped somehow in the basement," Maroun said. "Sandy (Mrs. Strader) came home, and the fire was already going. When she opened the door, the heat pushed her back out. Firefighters found Mr. Strader partially conscious in the basement, where there was significant smoke and heat.

"I know he has severe burns," Maroun said.

"The firemen did all they could."

The Straders' dog was also rescued unconscious from the house and is on the mend, according to fire officials.

Fire Chief Mark Picerno said firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming out the front door at the house in Tupper's Junction neighborhood.

"Firefighters entered the structure and conducted a search and found the semiconscious man (Strader) in the basement and removed him to the awaiting rescue personnel, who transported him to (Adirondack Medical Center) in Saranac Lake and then to Fletcher Allen in Burlington," Picerno said in an email update.

'QUICK RESPONSE'

McLear, the chief said, "was preparing to ventilate the roof of the home. He was also transported to AMC in Saranac Lake and then to Fletcher Allen (Health Care) in Burlington."

He suffered broken neck vertebrae, Picerno said.

On the Fire Department's Facebook page, the depth of community concern is apparent.

But Picerno expressed confidence in the firefighter's return to the crew.

"Ian was hurt attempting to do what he has done numerous times, ventilation. Ian is a strong person, and I'm positive he will return to duty as soon as he can," Picerno reassured in a post late Friday.

Maroun said credited the ambulance squad with a quick response to care for both injured men.

"I have spoken with the McLear family to see how he's doing. He's covered by village insurance; there's no problem with that."

RISKY WORK

But the injury points to the risky work first responders face every time they approach a fire or accident scene.

"I've cut through roofs. It's dangerous. You've got a heavy (SCOT air) pack on your back and a chain saw in your hands. We're all praying for Ian and Mr. Strader," Maroun said.

"The Fire Department has had a team come down from Malone for debriefing. It's been a tough month for the crews. We haven't had a firefighter get hurt in a long time or had to any serious injury in a fire. I can tell you -- the joint effort of the Tupper Lake police on the scene, the firefighters and the EMTs was outstanding.

"But this is tough for all of us."

STRING OF FIRES

The Strader fire follows two devastating blazes, one on Nov. 2 that tore through a Lake Street building with four offices and five apartments, calling in 83 firefighters from Tupper Lake and surrounding departments for some 19 hours of response time, according to Picerno's online report.

Another fire on Dec. 12 displaced 10 residents of a Main Street apartment building, including two families with small children.

Jill Abdallah spoke for her mother, Jane DuMoulin, owner of the Main Street apartment complex, which was gutted by the fire.

"My mother had insurance on the property, but there is still quite a process to get the property cleaned up. This must be done for safety and aesthetics of Main Street."

Her mother had no plan to rebuild, she said.

NO CAUSE YET

The Strader home sustained significant smoke and water damage on Friday.

One local woman, Jennifer Barrows, created a tribute to Tupper Lake firefighters with a slide show posted on YouTube called "Thank You Tupper Lake Fire Department."

Images taken from recent fires scroll among stills that show Tupper's bright-yellow fire trucks decorated with Christmas wreaths. The stills turn to the song "You don't Count the Cost," by Billy Dean.

The Franklin County Cause and Origin Team had not released final determination of the cause of any of the fires as of Monday.

Emergency Services Director Ricky Provost could not immediately be reached for an update.

Email Kim Smith Dedam at: [email protected]