Community rallies around people displaced by fire in Stamford

VICKY KLUKKERT

STAFF WRITER

The meeting room at Stamford Village Hall was full of clothing, diapers, children’s toys, non-perishable food items, bedding and small household goods Monday morning, three days after a fire displaced 30 residents.

“Everyone has been very helpful,” Stamford Village Mayor Robert Schneider said. “Almost immediately, people were reaching out asking how they could help.”

Over the weekend, the village posted on its Facebook page that village hall was opened and staffed by volunteers Saturday and Sunday to accept donations, which poured into the building, he said. The village soon asked residents not to bring any more clothing to the village hall. Instead, they asked residents to write down what items they wanted to donate and call or email the village hall with the list. Schneider said cash donations for the individuals are what are most needed. Cash donations can be dropped off at the village hall. T.P.’s Cafe on Railroad

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Items donated to people displaced by a fire Friday line one wall of the meeting room inside the Stamford Village Hall Monday, Dec. 4.

Vicky Klukkert | The Daily Star

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Avenue is also collecting money for individuals, he said.

Money and other donations can also be dropped off at the Security Desk at the Delaware County Office Building at 111 Main Street in Delhi, a media release said. Delaware County staff will coordinate with the village of Stamford to deliver the donations and distribute them. County agencies available to assist residents are: Social Services at 607-8325300, Office for the Aging at 607-832-5750, Veterans Services Agency at 607832-5345, Mental Health at 607-832-5888, Public Health at 607-832-5200, Economic Development at 607-832-5123 and Delaware Opportunities at 607-7461600.

Anyone in need of help and doesn’t know who to contact, can call the Supervisors Office at 607-832-5110 and they will be directed to the appropriate agency. In addition, there are some Go Fund Me pages set up to help individuals and fundraisers have been established in the county. There will be a chicken barbecue in front of Freshtown in Margaretville at 10 a.m. Saturday. There will be a Holiday Open Mic at The Gallery at 128 Main Street in Stamford Dec. 9. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., snacks at 6 p.m. and concert at 7 p.m.

Schneider said some residents were staying with family members, and a local Air BnB owner offered their house to another. On social media, The Hidden Inn in South Kortright, the Andes Hotel and Hanah Mountain Resort and Country Club in Margaretville offered rooms to displaced individuals during the week. On Monday afternoon, the Village of Stamford’s Facebook page said long-term housing was the most urgent need for the displaced residents.

“The challenge for the village is losing so much housing, two businesses and two blocks in one event and how we are going to bounce back,” Schneider said. “It’s heartbreaking on so many levels. First to have two historic buildings destroyed. Then to see all the people and businesses displaced, it’s devastating. On the upside no one was seriously injured or worse.”

Schneider said he arrived on the scene shortly after the fire started. “It was fully involved by the time I got there,” he said.

Stamford Fire Chief Don VanEtten said the department received the call stating there was a structure fire at 60 and 64 Main Street at 5:48 p.m. on Friday. Firefighters arrived on the scene two minutes later. “There was heavy fire,” he said. It is unclear how the fire started and in which building it started, he said. The two, five-story Victorian style buildings had multiple exposures and power lines, making it a difficult fire to fight. “It’s the most challenging fire I’ve fought in my 26 years on the department,” he said.

Mutual aid was called and fire departments from four counties responded. County 911 Coordinator Mark Rossley said the following departments responded to the scene of or were on standby during Friday night’s fire: Stamford, Hobart, Grand Gorge and Roxbury fire and EMS depar tment s; Bloomville, Margaretville, Delhi, Bovina, East Meredith, Davenport, Halcottsville, Blenheim, Conesville, Ashland, Prattsville, Franklin, Oneonta, Jefferson, Summit, Schoharie, and Cobleskill Fire departments, Headwaters EMS, Delaware County EMS/fly car, Red Cross, Delaware County Sheriffs Office, Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office, State Police, Delaware County Emergency Management, Schoharie County Emergency Management, state Department of Transportation and Stamford Village.

Aerial ladder trucks from Stamford, Cobleskill, Margaretville, Delhi and Oneonta were on the scene as well as many tankers and pumpers, VanEtten said. Firefighter Assist Search Teams from Franklin, Oneonta and Schoharie responded. The department not only relied on village water to fight the fire, but also pumped water from the pond at Rexmere Park and a hydrant in the town of Gilboa. Four people were transported to nearby hospitals. Two tenants from 60 Main Street were treated and released. Two firefighters were also treated and released. One firefighter had debris fall on his head and he suffered a minor concussion and the other one twisted an ankle. Stamford cleared the scene at 4 a.m. Saturday and was called back at 9 a.m. for a rekindle. He said yesterday’s rain helped.

VanEtten said he wanted to thank everyone who came to Stamford to help the community and thanked the local businesses that provided nourishment to the firefighters during the fire, including T.P.’s Cafe, Mac-A-Doodles, Don’s Dairy, Stamford Coffee, Stewart’s and Tops.

Fr iday night ’s f i r e destroyed two historic buildings, 64 and 60 Main Street. The buildings were built in the 1890s, Schneider said. The building at 60 Main Street had been damaged in a fire during the 1980s and was rebuilt, but Friday’s fire caused so much damage it’s likely beyond repair. VanEtten, who holds partner ownership in 64 Main Street, said the buildings will be torn down in the coming days. “It was tough to be on this side of the fire,” he said. The first priority was to make sure the tenants were OK. “I still can’t believe it,” he said. “It’s devastating to the community.”

The departments were able to contain the fire to the two buildings and nearby 66 Main Street wasn’t touched by fire at all. “Power has been restored and everyone living there is back home,” he said.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-4417221.