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Woman and adult son perish in Tanglewood Road blaze
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Fatal fire is two months after Locust Park fire
COLONIE – Two fatal fires in less than two months have village fire officials concerned for their young volunteers, all of whom live in a close-knit corner of town where the tragedies are starting to “hit home.”
“This is really hard for a department our size, but I guess that would hold true for any department,” Village of Colonie Fire Chief Jeff Kayser said. “But having two of these so close together is really devastating.”
An overnight fire claimed two lives in a Tanglewood Road home on Wednesday, March 26. It marked the second fatal fire in less than two months for Kayser’s volunteer squad. The first was on Locust Park, less than a mile away.
The fire call came in just after 12:30 a.m., and Colonie police and fire crews arrived within four minutes, according to Town of Colonie Fire Coordinator Mike Romano. Responders encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the structure.
“The house was not fully involved at that point, but the south side, where the kitchen and living room are located, was fully involved,” Colonie Village Fire Chief Michael Kayser said.
Neighbors told responders that two people lived in the house, Carroll L. Debrocky, 76 and her son James M. Debrocky, 56, were unaccounted for, prompting crews to begin a search.
“When you see two cars in the driveway and it is the middle of the night, you automatically assume that someone is home,” Kayser said. While firefighters searched inside, a ladder crew entered through a bedroom window on the north side to remove the two victims.
Romano said firefighters immediately located James and extricated him through a rear window. Shortly after, they found Caroll. Both were removed from the house within 10 minutes of the initial call.
Colonie EMS teams worked to revive the victims, but they were pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said the recent fires are taking a toll on responders.
Recognizing the emotional weight of back-to-back fatal fires, Colonie fire departments have prioritized mental health support for their members. After the last fatal fire on Locust Park, responders were offered stress debriefing sessions within days, led by teams from the Colonie Police Department and local officials.
These debriefings provide firefighters with a space to process trauma, ensuring they receive the support they need to continue their work. Romano confirmed that similar resources would be available following this fire, with a debriefing scheduled for later that day.
The department’s commitment to supporting its members highlights the often-overlooked emotional burden first responders carry, especially in small communities where they may personally know the people they are trying to save.
“Look, these are two fatal fires here in the village. The village is a small section of the town of Colonie,” Romano said. “So here in the village, everybody knows everybody, so it does hit home. It’s not like we are a big city where you don’t know your neighbors.”
Romano said it is too early to determine the fire’s cause or origin. Investigators from the town of Colonie, the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control were on the scene at 8 a.m.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was updated at 1:53 p.m. after Colonie police released the names of the victims.
