PHOTO: A longtime firefighter in Catskill lost his workshop on Tuesday, where he had built several race cars over the years. The shop, which was housed in a two-and-a-half-story barn, went up in flames at about 12:15 p.m.
The first engine to respond from Catskill Fire Company used two hoses to try and knock down the blaze. Because the building was so big, though, 1,000 gallons of water didn’t go far.
Firefighters at the scene asked for mutual aid from two tanker task forces. Unfortunately, due to the type of structure and some of its contents, the fire was cranking before help could come.
Catskill fire crews thanked Nick Birk and the town of New Baltimore for sending excavators to knock down the building after the blaze. “A lifetime of tools and treasure were unfortunately lost,” a spokesperson for the Catskill Fire Company said in a statement.