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An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of a devastating fire at the Countryside Apartments in Rome. The fire, which occurred early Tuesday morning (December 9), resulted in the death of one person and left another critically injured. Firefighters arrived at the scene on Rome-Oriskany Road to find one apartment completely engulfed in flames. The deceased victim was discovered inside the apartment.
According to Kenneth White, the Rome Commissioner of Public Safety, the critically injured person, a woman, managed to escape her burning apartment but collapsed outside. She was initially taken to Wynn Hospital in Utica and has since been transferred to the burn center at Upstate University Hospital. The fire department continued to battle hotspots and flare-ups throughout the day.
WKTV reported that the fire was first reported at 4:32 a.m., and firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions upon arrival. The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and State Police assisted in evacuating the building, and initially, two people were unaccounted for. One was later confirmed deceased, while the other was found safe elsewhere.
About 20 residents have been displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross is providing assistance, and a warming center has been set up at All Saints Church in Rome. Eleven fire departments responded to the incident. The Rome Fire Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control are collaborating to determine the cause of the fire.