State and local officials investigate cause of Gap fire

FISHKILL – One of the two giant buildings at the Gap distribution
center in Fishkill went up in flames overnight Monday into Tuesday with
the fire still burning well after dawn on Tuesday.  It was a difficult
fire to battle because of its intensity, said Fishkill Fire Chief Brandon
Knapp.
“An aggressive interior attack was made by firefighters, who were eventually driven out by deteriorating fire conditions,” Knapp said.  “A transition to a defensive attack was made, ultimately resulting in the deployment of numerous fire departments from Dutchess, Putnam and Orange counties.”
The building that burned was just under one million square feet. A second building on the campus is about 1.2 million square feet.
State Police Captain Dominick Chiumento said all employees who were on the job at the time of the fire were evacuated safely. One firefighter sustained a cut to his lower leg.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Chiumento said anyone who may have been in the area and seen something is asked to call the police at 845-677-7300.