A fire in downtown Binghamton on Wednesday killed one man and forced an evacuation of nearly 100 elderly and disabled residents. Firefighters were called to 24 Isbell Street shortly after 12:30 Wednesday afternoon for a report of a fire at the North Shore Towers apartment complex, near the Broome County Office Building on Hawley Street. Crews were able to locate the fire in a fifth-floor apartment, where they found a 68-year-old man severely burned. He was taken to Wilson Hospital where he later died from his injuries. His name has not been released at this time. Firefighters were on the scene within three minutes of receiving the call and had the fire knocked down within fifteen minutes, containing it to the apartment in which it started. The fire took place in building 2 of the North Shore Towers’ three-building complex. Smoke had spread throughout the ten-story building, which caused firefighters to help assist in an evacuation of the tenants. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
