Two killed in Sunday night Fultonville fire

FULTONVILLE — Two people were killed Sunday night in apartment building fire, Montgomery County sheriff’s officials said.

They identified those killed as Rodney G. Schrell, Jr., 32, and Catherine S. Griffin, 26.

The building at 33 Main St., formerly the Hotel Arthur, contained six apartments where 13 people lived, officials said. Everyone else made it out safely, they said.

Firefighters were called to the building just after 10:32 p.m. Firefighters from numerous agencies responded and battled the blaze into the morning hours, officials said.

The building is a total loss due to heat, smoke and water damage, officials said.

According to a Facebook post from the Mohawk Fire Department, “Due to several construction changes to the building it made it difficult for firefighters to access the building to extinguish the blaze.”

Fultonville Fire Chief Bill Rose could not be reached for comment.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Monday, Montgomery County Sheriff Jeffery Smith said.

The state Office of Fire Prevention and Control, the Montgomery County Fire Investigation Team, Montgomery County Fire Coordinator, Fultonville Fire Department and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department were investigating.

“We don’t want to see anything like this take place,” Smith said. “Our thoughts are with all the families of the victims involved.”

“Unfortunately,” he added, “we weren’t successful in saving everyone last night.”

Assisting Fultonville with the fire were fire departments from the Town of Glen, Town of Mohawk, Canajoharie, Fort Plain, Hagaman, Fort Johnson, Tribes Hill, Fort Hunter, Rural Grove, Amsterdam, and Berkshire, officials said. GAVAC, Montgomery County Emergency Management Office, state police and the sheriff’s office also responded.

Staff writer Steve Cook contributed to this report.