Cortland Fire Department Responds to Fire in Basement of Cheney Hall on SUNY Cortland Campus – RA Credited With Quick Action

Cortland Fire says around 11:30 Wednesday night, October 29th, they were dispatched to a reported structure fire at Cheney Hall on Graham Ave. in the City of Cortland. Cheney Hall is a 4-story dormitory located on the hill at the corner of Graham Ave. and West Court Street.

Deputy Chief for the City of Cortland Fire Department, Derek Reynolds, says firefighters arrived within minutes of the time of call. Inside they found a light smoke condition in a hallway of the building. Further investigation found a fire had occurred in Room 006, which is located in the basement of the building.

Reynolds says prior to their arrival, a dry chemical fire extinguisher was used to knock down the flames. Firefighters checked to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and then began overhaul operations. They additionally checked for any extension of the fire.

After confirming the fire was fully out, Reynolds says atmospheric monitoring was performed. The readings showed the air quality was safe for occupants and students were allowed to reoccupy the building minus the basement area. The basement remains closed at this time.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters returned to service around 4:30 Thursday morning.

Deputy Chief Reynolds and the fire department commended the off-duty Resident Assistant, who say their quick actions and adherence to fire safety training played a major role in the early detection and containment of the fire. The Resident Assistants response significantly limited the fire’s spread and prevented further damage or injury.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.