Yet ANOTHER fire at the shops at Colonie? 7/6

[greenwichlirr]

Watching Fox 23, and just heard that a "warehouse fire" which is the "Old D&H Building" is burning as we speak. (As of 5:05 PM, 7-6-10)

Guess we'll know more as the night goes on....

[greenwichlirr]

20 minutes later....confirmation on the fire....and the F.D. is staying out because of the massive amount of heat.

Not much left now that hasn't been knocked down or torched.

[MEC407]

More on the fire, from today's Times Union:

COLONIE -- Firefighters and police Tuesday responded to a fire and heavy smoke at the abandoned Delaware & Hudson Railway locomotive repair shop and rail yards.

Reports of an explosion at the site came in at 3:45 p.m. A fire soon engulfed every combustible part of the building, according to Jerry Paris, deputy coordinator for the Colonie Fire Department.

Read more at: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/st ... yID=948233

[Benjamin Maggi]

I know it has been dead for awhile, but it still seems a shame. I will probably drive by this week to see what is left/visible from the road. I remember seeing part of it in 2004 when I moved to the are and taking some pictures.

I wonder how long it might be before someone sets fire to the train equipment stored near there.

[MEC407]

An article in another newspaper said that the property is owned by Pan Am and that Pan Am officials are on the scene.

Question: why did Pan Am (Guilford at the time) hang onto this piece of D&H property, rather than relinquish it with the rest of the D&H?

[snitkofj]

IIRC - CP didn't want it, I think there was some other property which CP didn't take, I'm sure someone can chime in with more details.

[Benjamin Maggi]

I agree: everything I have ever heard and/or read (meaning: Hearsay) also stated that CP didn't want it. Personally, it would seem like a large area of land with little use and a lot of environmental damage/pollution which would cost a bit of money to fix.

[Tadman]

I bet the environmental remediation bill will be huge. Frankly, I don't know how PAR hasn't already been hit with a whopper. Usually a company can stave off EPA mandated cleanup if there is still some activity - even a security guard keeping a sharp eye on weeds and coyotes - so maybe that's how PAR is dealing ...

[guilfordrailfan]

Are there any buildings left on that site? If so there can't be many. I find it unbelievably incredible that so many of Colonie's buildings have been lost to mysterious fires. There are plenty of abandoned industrial sites where buildings have remained intact for decades. So how is it that Colonie's abandoned buildings are being destroyed by fire one after another? Are there that many pyromainacs in the area or is it just a series of bizzare coincidences?

[greenwichlirr]

Not sure of the full list of unwanted buildings/properties by CP, but I seem to recall that Rouses Point fell under the same unwanted status.