Poughkeepsie Firefighters Respond To Their Own Firehouse Blaze

Smoke could be seen coming out of the windows of Engine 3's firehouse on Hooker Avenue just after 7pm Tuesday night.

The City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department which is led by Chief Joe Franco and Deputy Chief Vincent Parise is a 66-firefighter career-staffed department that protects 32,000 people living in an area of 5.72 square miles.

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They operate three fire stations that respond to over 5,000 calls per year. The city staffs three engines, two ladder trucks, and a shift commander’s vehicle 24/7. The city also has two reserve engines, one ladder truck, one rescue truck, one utility truck, and two river marine units that can be put in service as needed.

Fire Causes Extensive Damage to Poughkeepsie Firehouse

According to a press release, on Aug. 5, 2025 at 7:06pm the Poughkeepsie Fire Department were dispatched were dispatched to 224 Hooker Avenue for the report of smoke coming from the 2nd story window. All department apparatus had just cleared from a previous alarm and responded immediately. The first arriving engine found heavy smoke coming from multiple windows on the second floor of the Hooker Avenue Firehouse. Crews aggressively made their way to the second floor to conduct fire suppression operations. They were met with heavy fire in the rear of the second floor. The fire was quickly extinguished and salvage operations were started.

The fire caused extensive damage to the 2nd floor area of the firehouse. Currently the Hooker Avenue firehouse is uninhabitable. The press release went on to say that it is a difficult time for everyone within City Administration and the Poughkeepsie Fire Department. and that they appreciate the outreach that they have received so far.

Although this is a setback, this will not affect the department's emergency service we provided to the residents of the City of Poughkeepsie, no reduction of manpower or apparatus will be affected while we rebuild our historic firehouse.

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The fire is currently under investigation and does not appear to be suspicious in nature. There were no injuries to fire personnel.

Smoke showing from the windows of Engine 3s firehouse.

10-75 transmitted.

Fire knocked down.

Old (Very Old) Upstate NY Firehouses Look to New Life!

This is a fun gallery. We found some very old firehouses scattered across Upstate New York. And we see what they are "up to" today. Some are empty and waiting for a second life. Some have been magically transformed into private residences. Some have been turned into commercial use, such as a brewery or coffee shop. Some are still active fire companies! But still, these old fire sentinels live on as a memory of their importance to their home neighborhoods from 50, 75, and even100 years ago.

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

11 Old Upstate Train Stations and Firehouses That Are Now Restaurants

The time comes in every small town in Upstate New York when they must look to giving up the ghost with their old train stations and firehouses. Time has passed these important places for the most part, and (in the case of the old firehouses), new, more modern ones must be built.

So, what to do with the old buildings?

Well, many communities have sold off their "old stock" of train depots and fire stations to private citizens who have breathed new life into the structures as modern, delicious, and very popular restaurants.

Here are some very old train depots and fire stations (some more than 150 years old), that

are now vital places in their communities, serving up delicious meals, a place for high-end cocktails, a venue for live entertainment, and more. And to the credit of almost each of these listed in this gallery, they have all managed to modernize these old buildings while leaving important nuances reflecting back on the DNA of their past, back to when the conductor used to holler "All Aboard" and to when the fire trucks barreled out the huge front doors answering the call in the neighborhood.

I think you will enjoy this list!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio