Syracuse police said an investigation is underway to find out what caused a massive fire at the former Maria Regina College site on Syracuse’s north side.
Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Monds said the firefight started Friday and took 148 firefighters, six engine companies, four ladder companies, and thousands of gallons of water over two days.
"This fire was one of the largest our department's had to face in decades in terms of the size of the building, and the volume of fire that we faced," Monds said.
The fire comes as city officials planned for a new life for the troubled property. Syracuse's Deputy Commissioner of Code Enforcement Jake Dishaw said the property has been vacant for about a decade, and the city has spent about $38,000 to maintain the property without help from the current owner.
"This is an owner who promised to maintain the structure, to keep its integrity, and all its historical worth and value, but we've seen zero effort from them over the years," said Dishaw.
Mayor Ben Walsh said the city is partnering with the company Home Leasing to build 180 affordable housing units for seniors at that site. Twenty-six of those were planned for the building affected by the fire.
"We're going to go to great efforts to keep this project on track and to get this property back into productive use,” said Walsh. “The longer it stays vacant, the more risk there is for other issues."
City officials said the site of the fire is not safe, and they are asking everyone to stay away from the property as the investigation continues.
