COHOES, N.Y. — An inferno that destroyed or damaged nearly two dozen buildings in a city in upstate New York was sparked by an amateur bladesmith who apparently was trying to imitate something he saw on TV, officials said. The blaze broke out Thursday afternoon in downtown Cohoes, just north of Albany, and was stoked by 20 to 30 mph winds. The Times Union of Albany reported that three buildings were destroyed, 18 others were damaged and at least 20 people were displaced. “It is the worst disaster the city has ever seen,” Mayor Shawn Morse told reporters at an evening news conference. ——Information from: Times Union, http://www.timesunion.com

Source: National Post December 01, 2017 05:35 UTC