![Major Fire at Abandoned Doane Stuart School in Albany [VIDEO]](https://express-images.franklymedia.com/7062/sites/56/2023/03/23195324/doane-fire.jpg)
Update 9:12pm: Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan tells NewsChannel 13 the building is a total loss. Officials are asking anyone with video of the fire to please share with investigators.
Crews are battling a massive blaze at what was once the Doane Stuart School near Southern Boulevard in Albany’s South End.
BREAKING: A massive fire is burning at the old Doane Stuart school near Mount Hope Drive, according to firefighters.
— Times Union (@timesunion) March 23, 2023
LATEST DETAILS: https://t.co/8KQNcUAWNL pic.twitter.com/Eeyg0xUOxG
Flames can be seen for miles, including over the river in Rensselaer County.
@CBS6Albany @WNYT pic.twitter.com/3LW2lan6Nf
— Fred Weakley (@FWeakley) March 23, 2023
Firefighters say the entire building is engulfed and in danger of collapse.
Albany fire officials say this is the old Doane Stuart building which is vacant. @SpecNews1Albany pic.twitter.com/WleVtTL1Cf
— Dan Myers (@DMyers1590) March 23, 2023
Police are asking people to avoid the area as some roads have been blocked off. Firefighters are trying to keep the flames from spreading across the campus to nearby buildings.
#BREAKING: There is a major #fire in the area of Southern Boulevard in #Albany. A NewsChannel 13 photographer sent back this video a short time ago. More as we get it. pic.twitter.com/uTjuWhNsBb
— WNYT NewsChannel 13 (@WNYT) March 23, 2023
No word on the cause or if anyone was inside the building.
#BREAKING: Fire crews are on the scene at the vacant Doane Stuart school and seminary near Mount Hope Drive, according to Fire officials. (Photos: Eli Gill)
— CBS 6 Albany – WRGB (@CBS6Albany) March 23, 2023
UPDATES: https://t.co/0McoUW5vX6 pic.twitter.com/GpEIN8t0Gu
The school released a statement to News 10:
The faculty, staff, administration, and alumni at Doane Stuart are heartbroken to hear about the fire at our old campus. It was an absolutely beautiful building and property that held years of memories for so many of us. Doane Stuart was a tenant of the property from 1975 until June of 2009 when we moved to our current campus in Rensselaer. Our thoughts are with everyone who is grieving the loss of this special landmark in Doane Stuart’s history.
The Times Union says the property has been mostly vacant since 2009, when the school relocated to Rensselaer County. Though a new owner had planned to convert the buildings to apartments and townhouses, little work had been done.
feature photo: Times Union Twitter Video