Most of Minden highway garage wrecked in blaze

MINDEN, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Fort Plain fire crews were piecing things together at their station around 11 a.m. Sunday, after an hours-long firefight at the Town of Minden Highway Garage. There were no injuries, officials said, but the garage and most of the equipment inside were a total loss.

The Town Court and Municipal Building were saved, according to a statement from Town Supervisor Cheryl Reese. Both received only smoke and water damage, she said.

Several plows, a tractor, and other highway maintenance equipment were destroyed in the blaze. "We are currently working with other townships and municipalities to assure our roads remain plowed and our services remain intact," said Reese. "We did have one truck out on repair, so that was spared."

"We are sad for the Town of Minden, the highway department, and Superintendent Hanifin," a spokesperson for Fort Plain Fire Department said in an online statement. "Superintendent Joe Hanifin is a current member and our president."

Pictures and videos of the blaze quickly circulated on social media Sunday. Posting a video on Facebook, the fire department said, "As you can see, things were well out of control on arrival."

First responders were sent to the blaze at 1:15 a.m. It took them about three hours to finish the job.

The state Office of Fire Prevention and Control has launched an investigation into the incident. Their probe remains ongoing, and no cause had been publicly released by press time.