Three Family Members Die in Troy, New York House Fire on 13th Street

Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello called it a devastating day for the city. For the department that responded, it was also a reminder of how much can go right in a fire — a working rescue, a bystander who didn't hesitate, firefighters who got inside — and still not be enough.

How the Fire Unfolded

The Troy Fire Department received the call around 9:35 p.m. Sunday for a residential fire at 2216 13th Street, in the city's Beman Park neighborhood near the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus. Some early reports had responders heading toward a neighboring address before determining the fire was actually next door — a mix-up that speaks to how fast and how far a house fire can throw smoke and confusion in the first minutes of a call. By the time crews were on the structure, Chief Cellucci said, the fire had already taken hold; a neighbor and RPI student who reached the scene ahead of some responders described the flames as already substantial.

Firefighters conducted high-visibility searches inside the structure under heat and smoke conditions serious enough that the incident was raised to a third alarm, bringing in mutual aid from Watervliet Professional Fire, the Watervliet Arsenal Fire Department, Green Island, and Albany Fire alongside Troy crews. Rescuers pulled an adult man, an adult woman, and an 11-year-old girl from the home; all three were transported to area hospitals, where they ultimately died of their injuries. Two Troy firefighters were also taken to the hospital with minor burn injuries and were later released.

The Family

City officials identified the three who died as Dominick Rizzo Jr., 37; his fiancée, Alicia Ruefle, 39; and their 11-year-old daughter, Abigail Rizzo. Their 13-year-old son, Dominick Rizzo III, escaped the second floor by climbing out a window as the fire spread through the house. A nearby RPI student, Will Roberson, told local reporters he heard the teenager calling for help while studying nearby, went to check, and got him across the street to a neighbor's house once emergency crews had been called. Troy Animal Control confirmed seven family dogs died in the fire; three others survived and were treated at a local veterinary hospital, with one initially reported missing.

The Fire Department's Response

Chief Cellucci said crews believe the fire started on the home's first floor before spreading upward, which tracks with why the two youngest occupants ended up needing rescue or escape from the second story. Bringing a mutual-aid third alarm on a residential structure this quickly is a call made when the volume of smoke, fire conditions, or number of known occupants inside outpaces what the first-due companies can handle alone — and it reflects how aggressively Troy crews and their neighboring departments committed to the interior search once they knew people were still in the home. The fire was kept from extending to neighboring houses on the block, limiting the incident's damage to the single structure even as the human cost inside it was severe.

The Investigation and the Smoke Alarm Question

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control leading that work alongside Troy fire officials. City officials have said they are looking into whether the home had working smoke alarms, and early statements from the fire chief indicate there were none in place at the time of the fire. That detail matters beyond this one case: residential fires with no working smoke detection are consistently linked to worse outcomes nationally, since occupants — especially children and anyone asleep — lose the early-warning window that can mean the difference between self-rescue and needing to be pulled out.

How the Community Is Responding

Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello and Chief Cellucci addressed the city at a news conference Monday, with Mantello calling it a devastating day for Troy and thanking the firefighters who went into the home. The Troy City School District has made grief counseling available to students and staff, since the Rizzo children attended local schools. A GoFundMe campaign set up to support the family had raised more than $45,000 as of Monday afternoon. The three surviving family dogs have since been placed in a new home, according to local coverage of the aftermath.

Where to Get Updates

• Troy Fire Department / City of Troy — official statements on the investigation as it develops.
• New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control — cause-and-origin findings once released.
• Troy City School District — grief counseling resources for students and families.
• Local Capital Region outlets (Times Union, News10, WNYT, CBS6) — ongoing coverage from Troy.

Our thoughts are with the Rizzo family, the surviving children, and the Troy Fire Department. We'll update this article as investigators release further information on the fire's cause.