Poughkeepsie City Fire Chief Mark Nelson (Action News Network (c)
for Mid-Hudson News)
POUGHKEEPSIE – Four people died on Monday morning as fire raged
through a boarded up house at 61 Academy Street in the City of Poughkeepsie.
The city had seized the building for failure to pay back taxes.
The cause is unknown at this time the identities of the victims will have
to be determined by the medical examiner.
There is speculation the house may have been used for squatters or as
a drug den.
Action News Service video (c) for MHNN.com
The fire was called in after 1 a.m. and when firefighters searched the
interior hours later they found the first two bodies inside. As the search
continued other victims were found.
Several fire departments fought the blaze.
City Administrator Marc Nelson said the house was on the city’s
“blight list and they were marketing it in hopes of selling it.
The city had received a few offers, but nothing had come of them, he said.
After the fire, the building was deemed unsafe by the city building inspector
and Nelson said the city will likely have it demolished later this week.
HighGround Industrial is the same contractor that was used for the building
collapse a block away on Academy Street.
