Details Released on Spring Street Fire in Utica

The Utica Fire Department has released new details on the fire that claimed a home on 611 Spring Street in Utica.

In December of 2015 the residence had been posted as "Do Not Occupy." The posting was due to the interior conditions of the building including the presence of numerous cats and the abundance of material indicating hoarding.

The owner was setup with various agency services to address the issues and was not permitted to occupy the residence until the issue was resolved. The owner never notified the fire department that she had corrected the problems and there were no records of any further complaints.

It has been determined that the fire began in the front room of the first floor. The owner told officials she had slipped and in trying to regain balance knocked a candle to the ground. Due to the abundance of materials in the home the fire accelerated rapidly. The owner sustained minor injuries, was treated at a local hospital and released.

Several cats were killed in the blaze, but an unknown number of cats have been seen around the building since the fire and they are thought to be feral. No one else was injured in the fire, however damage did extend to the home at 609 Spring Street and a family living in the rear of the structure was displaced. The home at 613 Spring Street did require electrical service inspection due to water entering the panel box. Four families were displaced pending the inspection.