NEW SCOTLAND – An early Tuesday morning fire on Delaware Avenue sent one firefighter to the hospital and destroyed what appeared to be a workshop according to Dan LaDuke, chief of the Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire Company.

Shortly after midnight, on Tuesday, May 1, LaDuke said that a passerby called to report the fire at 2398 Delaware Avenue.  

The chief said that the structure appeared to be a workshop, with a bandsaw and table saw, and piles of wood on the ground.

The roadway entering the property crossed over Onesquethaw Creek and the driveway leading to the burning building was completely muddy; an all-terrain vehicle had to be used to drag 1,500 feet of hose to the fire, LaDuke said. It took about half-an-hour to get the hose in place, he said.

LaDuke said that a portable pump was dropped into the creek to supply water to fight the fire.

The injured firefighter will be OK, and is expected home on Tuesday, LaDuke said. He declined to name the firefighter who was injured when debris fell on him as he was falling to the ground. The injured firefighter had been alert and talking with other firefighters before emergency medical services had taken him away, LaDuke said. There were no other injuries reported.

LaDuke said that no owner was present on site when his company arrived nor had one arrived by the time he left hours later.

The New Scotland assessment roll lists the property’s owner as Linda Deluke of Rotterdam; the listed number for Deluke is not in service. The roll describes the property as 32.5 acres with a seasonal residence, valued at $110,200. ​