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3-Alarm Fire Rips Through Building On North Goodman St.

Randy Gorbman
/
WXXI News

Dozens of Rochester firefighters battled a fire early this morning near the Memorial Art Gallery.

The fire involved a three story vacant building just behind the Memorial Art Gallery on North Goodman Street. It was in the process of being converted into offices. The three alarm fire required about three quarters of the city firefighters on duty at the time, more than 60 of them to get to the scene. There were no injuries.

Fire Department Captain Ted Kuppinger says the frigid temperatures, in the teens this morning, makes it an even bigger challenge

"We get cold out there and then you get wet on top of it, it certainly slows down operations, this is one of the reasons we have RTS here to provide warming buses for rehab so guys get in here.the chief will rotate crews out, so he'll send a crew back to the fire station to warm up"

Kuppinger says there was no immediate threat of the flames reaching the art gallery. Damage to the building that caught fire is extensive and the cause is still under investigation.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.