Joint response from three companies helped contain the blaze
CLINTONDALE – Fire in a bi-level home on Route 44/55 not far from the Rocking Horse Ranch in Clintondale Thursday damaged the residence.
The fire was reported by the homeowner, who was the only one home at the time and escaped uninjured. No one was injured and the cause is unknown and under investigation.
Highland Fire Department Chief Peter Miller was the first on the scene, followed by the Clintondale and Modena Fire Departments.
Those three departments are responsible for calls that occur in that area; however, Ulster County Deputy Fire Coordinator Wayne Freer said that, when they arrived at the scene, they needed some more help.
“From that point it grew to the point where we have, now – New Paltz Fire Department, Modena Fire Department, Clintondale Fire Department, Highland Fire Department on scene, along with Plattekill Fire Department with a FAST team,” said Freer.
Freer added that these departments, individually, do not have the capabilities to handle structural fires on their own and Thursday’s multi-department involvement was a huge testament to shared services.
“Not one department has the manpower for a large structure fire,” Freer said. “We rely on each other during those times when we need them, and everybody comes out, helps out; if every department sends a few people, all with one piece of equipment, it makes it a lot easier to fight.”
Esopus, Gardiner, Cronomer Valley and Plattekill fire departments were on standby.
