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State officials have assumed control of the investigation into the fire that severely damaged the Unity House's Kathryn Allen Building in Troy. The blaze, which erupted early Sunday morning (January 4), led to a partial roof collapse. The building, located on 102nd Avenue, is dedicated to providing services for sexual and domestic violence victims. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the fire chief has stated that the cause does not appear suspicious.
The New York State Office of Fire Prevention is leading the investigation due to the fire's scale and potential financial implications, as explained by Troy Fire Chief Richard Cellucci. The state Division of Homeland Security, which oversees the Office of Fire Prevention and Control, has indicated that the investigation is ongoing and results will be shared with Troy officials once available.
According to Times Union, the building housed administrative offices for domestic violence trauma therapists, gun violence case managers, and youth programming. About 50 staff members worked at the site, and they will be temporarily relocated to Unity House's main building on Sixth Avenue in downtown Troy. Erin Vickers, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit, assured that services will not be disrupted.
Unity House plans to demolish the charred building and replace it with temporary offices before rebuilding. The organization has not yet received a full insurance assessment, but nothing inside the 13,500-square-foot structure is salvageable. As reported by Yahoo News, the fire began around 3 a.m. and was brought under control by 6 a.m., with firefighters unable to enter the building earlier due to the roof collapse.
Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello expressed support for Unity House and emphasized the city's commitment to assisting in finding new office space. The site is currently under close watch to prevent unauthorized entry, as vacant buildings can attract squatters. Unity House CEO David Boch has vowed to rebuild and has received significant community support.
CBS6 Albany reported that Boch stated, "We’ll do everything we can to make sure that there’s minimal to no impact to our clients and the community." The organization is working to reconfigure operations and provide temporary equipment for staff to continue their work.