Fleeing Arson Suspect Nearly Hits N.Y. Firefighters
Source The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Jan. 02
PORT HENRY -- A fired Mountain Lake Services employee is suspected of starting a chain of fires that did more than $500,000 in damage late Sunday night.
State Police have Joseph P. King, 43, in custody, a former staff member who was arrested at the fire after he allegedly drove over fire hoses and ladders and narrowly missed striking some firefighters.
The Port Henry man was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol content of at least .18, more twice the legal limit. Felony charges of arson of a structure and arson of a motor vehicle were pending.
King was sent to the Essex County Jail without bail after arraignment in Moriah Town Court.
VAN EXPLODED
The first fire, at the Mountain Lake Services offices at 4322 Main St. in Port Henry, was reported at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday by the Moriah Ambulance Squad while en route to a nearby call.
The three-story building, which housed offices and records storage, was gutted by the flames, Port Henry Fire Chief James Hughes said.
"The ambulance crew noticed smoke and called it in. The village was soon turned upside down. This could have been a major catastrophe."
While firefighters were at the first fire -- in what is called the Sagan Block -- more calls began coming in.
"The second alarm was a van, fully involved in the Mountain Lake Services parking lot on Rice Street. Then there was a fire in the (Mountain Lake) fueling station area."
The blaze at the agency's gas pumps burned itself out, as did a fourth fire in the agency's headquarters, the Helen F. McDonald Center, at 10 St. Patrick's Place
However, a Mountain Lake van parked near the gas pumps was engulfed in flames and exploded, officials said.
Hughes said Crown Point Volunteer Fire Department had just arrived as part of the mutual-aid response and handled the additional fires.
BATTLED FOR HOURS
Moriah and Mineville-Witherbee fire companies also came to the Main Street fire, and Moriah's snorkel truck was used to fight the flames from above.
Hughes said the first step firefighters took was to establish a water supply from the village hydrant system.
"We sent one team in from the rear, through the basement, and two teams went in from the front offices and the stairwell to the second and third floors."
The third floor housed Mountain Lake Services paper records, some dating to when the agency was called Essex County ARC. The records had smoke and water damage, and it wasn't known if they would be salvageable.
"After several hours, we isolated the fire," Hughes said. "We had a lot of heat and fire in the rear."
It's believed the blaze was started in the rear of the Main Street office building, and Hughes said they used AFF foam there.
"That really contained the fire."
Meanwhile, King apparently tried to leave the area in his car.
"The individual drove through the fire scene and drove over our hoses and ladders," Hughes said. "He nearly hit some of our firemen."
He said the suspect turned his car around on Broad Street hill after driving through and started back at them.
"The Sheriff's Department and State Police stopped him. He was extracted from the vehicle."
PROMPT RESPONSE
Hughes praised the Essex County Sheriff's Department and State Police for a quick response and for being there when the suspect was about to make a second pass.
The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control in Albany had investigators at the fire, as did the Essex County Fire Investigation Unit. State Police Uniform Division and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation were also there on Monday.
Hughes said the outcome could have been far worse if the entire Sagan Block had gone up.
"I am extremely grateful for the Essex County Mutual Aid System and the prompt response from all the firefighters. They did a great job of knocking it down."
About two dozen residents of the nearby Lee House, a senior citizens apartment complex, were awakened and asked to wait in the common area in case they had to be evacuated. They were allowed to go back to bed after firefighters brought the fire under control.
A LOT OF DAMAGE
Jaquish said Mountain Lake Services representatives said the agency owns the building that burned, and it is covered by insurance.
The adjacent structure houses the former Sagan's Department Store, which shares a wall with the burned structure.
It suffered moderate fire damage.
The department store closed in 2011. Essex County tax records show that building is owned by Justin Blais of Colorado.
Essex County Emergency Services Director Donald Jaquish said the Main Street fire did a lot of damage.
"We're estimating the damage at well over $500,000."
Had the main Mountain Lake building gone up in flames, he said, "we would have had a far worse disaster."
NO ONE HURT
Hughes said no firefighters were injured, nor were any Mountain Lake employees; the agency was closed at the time.
Despite the turmoil, Mountain Lake Services was open as usual on Monday, said Elizabeth Rutkowski, assistant director of community and staff relations.
"Everyone is OK; everyone is safe," she said. "Most importantly, all our people who receive services are safe."
Mountain Lake Services, which offers programs and services to people with developmental disabilities, houses its program participants in group homes, not at any of the locations where fires were set.
The building that burned housed the agency's Supportive Employment section and included a small store that sold items made at Essex Industries, a sheltered workshop run by the organization in Mineville.
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