A massive fire has broken out at a vacant hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York, sending heavy black smoke pouring into the sky. Firefighters from across the region are responding to the blaze which is located right across Route 9 from Marist College.
News 12 reporter Ben Nandi reported live from the scene that the fire appeared to be getting worse rather than better. He said black billowing smoke was visible on both ends of the building, on the side closest to Route 9 and on the furthest side.
The reporter noted that at one point it appeared the fire might be calming down, with only white smoke visible. However, conditions quickly deteriorated with heavy black smoke returning on multiple sides of the structure.
The smell of the fire can be detected across a wide area. Residents reported being able to smell the smoke in the city of Poughkeepsie itself, well away from the immediate location of the blaze.
The building is a vacant hospital that has been unoccupied. Its location directly across Route 9 from Marist College means the fire is burning in a heavily trafficked area of the city.
Multiple fire departments from across the region have been called to respond to the large-scale blaze. The fire required a significant emergency response due to the size of the former hospital building.
The fire continued to develop as News 12 reported live from the scene, with conditions changing rapidly between periods of white smoke suggesting the fire might be dying down and renewed black smoke indicating the blaze was intensifying again.