Niagara Falls Firefighters Tackle Blaze Deep in Niagara Gorge

A fire in the Niagara Gorge on Saturday tested both the firefighting and technical rescue skills of Niagara Falls Fire Department personnel.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the area near the end of Cedar Avenue after reports of smoke rising from the gorge. New York State Park Police were first on the scene and confirmed visible smoke. Upon deploying a drone to investigate further, they located the fire deep within the gorge and requested support from the Niagara Falls Fire Department.

Fire crews from Engines 3 and 4, along with Truck 1, arrived and quickly assessed the difficult terrain. With access limited, firefighters decided the safest and most effective approach was to lower a firefighter down the gorge wall using a rope system. Equipped with a charged hoseline, the firefighter descended to the fire’s location and began extinguishing the flames.

Guided by real-time drone footage provided by the Park Police, the firefighter successfully located and doused the remaining hot spots. Once the fire was fully under control, the team above hauled both the firefighter and equipment back to safety.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire has not been determined.

Niagara Falls Firefighters Tackle Blaze Deep in Niagara Gorge