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One dead in village fire
By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA — An unidentified individual was found deceased during an early morning fire Wednesday in the village.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple Sr. reported the blaze claimed the life of one person. The identity and cause of death remain under investigation.
The fire call came in at 6:37 a.m. on Feb. 14, Apple said in a statement.
“As fire personnel arrived on scene they located a structure fire at 45 McCulloch Avenue,” Apple said Wednesday. “While fire personnel were battling the fire, an individual was located deceased inside the residence. Sheriff’s personnel are working on identifying the victim as well as the cause of the fire.”
Deputy Chief Travis Witbeck from the Village of Ravena Fire Department said the Ravena and Coeymans fire departments were the first on the scene and “crews were informed of a possible person still inside the structure.”
“With this information, crews made immediate entry to begin fire extinguishment and rescue operations,” Witbeck said. “The team of responders representing all facets of emergency services in our community were met with significantly difficult conditions.”
The fire chief and on-scene investigators requested additional assistance from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Witbeck expressed sorrow at the unidentified individual’s death.
“We, just as the rest of the responders today, reside in the same community,” Witbeck said. “Any loss such as this in our community is surely felt by all of the responders.”
Assisting on the scene were the Coeymans Fire District, Coeymans Hollow Fire District, New Baltimore Fire District and Medway-Grapeville Fire District, along with the Ravena Rescue Squad, Coeymans Police Department, Albany County Fire Coordinator Gerald Paris, Albany County Fire Investigators, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Ravena Department of Public Works, Ravena Water Department and the Ravena Building Department, along with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.
