Fire investigators are working to determine what sparked a massive fire that tore through the former Maria Regina College on Syracuse’s north side. The fire broke out around 6:30 p.m. Friday in one of the vacant buildings on the Court Street campus.
Firefighters initially worked to contain the flames but were ordered to evacuate as conditions worsened. Minutes later, a chimney collapsed, followed by the roof. Crews used four aerial ladders to battle the fire from the outside, with a tethered drone assisting commanders in directing the response.
The roof continued to collapse in multiple places before firefighters fully extinguished hot spots into Sunday. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion.