UTICA, NY – Fire units dispatched to an apartment at 332 Blandina Street faced a dangerous situation when they discovered a woman wielding a knife and a pan of hot oil next to a smoking stove. Police were called in to assist, and the situation was resolved with the use of a Taser.
Utica Fire units were initially dispatched to the location due to reports of smoke coming from an apartment. On entering the apartment, they found the source of the smoke to be a stove where a female was standing. The situation escalated when the woman brandished a kitchen knife and moved toward the fire personnel with a pan of hot oil. Firefighters immediately exited the apartment and requested police assistance.
Utica Police Department (UPD) officers arrived and entered the smoke-filled apartment. The woman continued to be uncooperative, adding more oil and food to the smoking pan. The situation turned critical when she brandished the knife again, prompting one of the officers to use his Taser. The woman dropped the knife and fell to the ground, allowing officers to handcuff her and remove her from the scene.
Utica Fire Department (UFD) personnel were then able to enter the apartment and successfully extinguish the stove, preventing further damage.
The woman was taken to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation. She will face multiple charges, including Menacing, Menacing a Police Officer, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon, upon her release. Her identity will be withheld until charges are formally filed.