STAMFORD - Smoke rose over Stamford’s Main Street just after midafternoon Wednesday, Dec. 17, when several passersby called in what would quickly become a major structure fire at 73 Main Street - a large, three-story building housing both residences and a business.
The call came in at 3:24 p.m.
“Within two minutes,” Stamford Fire Chief Don VanEtten said, firefighters were on scene confirming “a working structure fire in the upper story of the building, in the attic area.”
The Stamford Fire Department is located just a block and a half away, a proximity that allowed for a swift initial response. But it was immediately clear this would not be a routine call.
“I knew this was going to be an extensive operation,” VanEtten said.
The building’s size, age and location - hemmed in by other large structures - shaped every decision that followed. To the east sat a multi-story apartment building at 69 Main Street. To the west, another commercial building stood just 18 inches away.
“With two very, very close structures, I needed aerials to kind of surround the entire operation,” VanEtten said.
He began calling for mutual aid almost as soon as he arrived.
In all, 15 fire departments from four counties responded, sending aerial trucks, engines, tankers and manpower from across Delaware, Schoharie, Otsego and Greene counties. Law enforcement support came from the New York State Police and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, while EMS agencies handled firefighter rehabilitation and standby care.
Water supply required careful balancing. While Stamford’s municipal hydrant system was used, VanEtten said he knew the fire would be a long-duration event.
“It would be extremely taxing on the village municipal system,” he said. “I also want people to have drinking water, flushing toilets and stuff.”
Engines established draft sites at the Rexmere pond and on Blackberry Street, with tankers shuttling water to supplement hydrants - a layered approach designed to keep pressure steady and the system intact.
The fire involved an occupied residential structure with three families living inside, as well as a business operated by the building’s owner, John Miller, who ran a plumbing and heating operation there. By the time firefighters arrived, residents were already outside.
“Everyone within the building evacuated, along with all their pets and animals,” VanEtten said. “Everybody was able to get out.”
No civilians were injured. One firefighter was transported to the hospital for observation and later released.
Inside, conditions shifted quickly. Crews initially made an offensive interior attack, but worsening conditions forced a brief retreat.
“Conditions rapidly changed, and we had to evacuate and go to a defensive position,” VanEtten said. As the fire was brought under control, crews were able to reenter and knock it down.
The blaze was declared knocked down at 5:17 p.m. Power to Main Street - shut off earlier by NYSEG to protect firefighters working near overhead lines - was restored around 7:30 or 8 p.m. A secondary call during the outage sent firefighters to 125 Main Street, where a resident had become trapped in an elevator; she was safely extricated, VanEtten reported.
Damage to the building was extensive.
“It’s a massive loss,” VanEtten said. “Most of the building’s contents are going to be lost.”
Three families were displaced, along with the business. Whether portions of the lower apartments can be salvaged remains uncertain, VanEtten said.
The cause of the fire has not been released and remains under investigation by the Delaware County Fire Investigation team.
As flames were battled on ladders and roofs, another effort unfolded at street level - neighbors helping neighbors.
Residents and business owners stepped in when resources thinned. Jimmy Eckland and Pat Cannon retrieved firefighting foam from the station using their personal vehicles as supplies ran low. Local business owners Hannah Hauser Bradfield and Andy Bradfield, who operate TP’s Café, brought coffee and refreshments to exhausted crews. Stamford Coffee opened its space so firefighters could warm up, refuel and regroup.
Back at the station, a pot of chili awaited.
Perhaps most striking was the speed with which the community mobilized for those who lost their homes. Heather Clark, a former café owner working nearby, saw the fire while leaving work and immediately set up a GoFundMe page for the displaced families.
By Thursday morning, VanEtten said, it was approaching $5,000.
“One of the families has three young children,” he said. “It’s Christmas time. They lost everything.”
The outpouring echoed a painful familiarity. Just two years earlier, in December 2023, Stamford endured another devastating Main Street fire that displaced 10 households and underscored the county’s chronic housing shortage. That memory, VanEtten said, was never far from mind.
“The community has been incredible,” he said. “People have been incredibly generous and kind.”
He also emphasized the behind-the-scenes work that made the response possible, singling out emergency dispatchers who managed a chaotic radio environment with precision.
“They were incredible,” he said.
As the investigation continues and families begin the long process of rebuilding, VanEtten offered a reminder - and a plea - to residents across the region.
“Please make sure that you have up-to-date smoke and carbon monoxide detectors,” he said. “They’re an inexpensive life insurance policy. They work.”
VanEtten also urges people to use care when burning wood or pellets - make sure equipment is in safe working order and installed by a professional. If using electric space heaters, he cautioned, do not plug into extension or lead cords, but into an outlet; and ensure they are not near anything combustible such as curtains.
In Stamford, as flames gave way to cold December air, the message of the day lingered: disasters test systems - but they also reveal the strength of a community willing to stand together when it matters most.
Assisting Stamford Fire Department at the scene were: Aerial trucks from Cobleskill, Delhi, and Margaretville; Engines, tankers and manpower from Prattsville, Margaretville, Halcottsville, Roxbury, Grand Gorge, East. Meredith, Davenport, South Kortright, Conesville, Hobart, Oneonta. and Jefferson,
The American Red Cross, New York State Department of Transportation and NYSEG also assisted at the scene.
VanEtten recognized the efforts of New York State Troopers who evacuated neighboring buildings and Delaware County 911 dispatchers who managed heavy radio traffic during the incident.
To donate to those displaced visit “Help Stamford Neighbors Rebuild After Fire” at gofundme.com
