CHATHAM – An house fire on Ford Road in Old Chatham early Monday morning killed one of the six people in the structure.
When firefighters arrived on the scene around 3:16 a.m. they discovered Larry Shapiro, 81, had been unable to escape the blaze before being overcome by smoke and fire.
Five other occupants, who escaped, two with minor injuries, were transported to Albany Medical Center and were treated and released.
The cause of the blaze, which destroyed the house, has been labeled undetermined at this time, but not suspicious. It is being investigated by Columbia County Sheriff’s investigators, the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and the Columbia County Cause and Origin Team.
Fire departments that responded to the scene included Tri-Village, North Chatham, East Chatham, Lebanon Valley, Niverville, Canaan, Red Rock, Austerlitz, Spencertown and Tsatsawassa. Also assisting were Chatham Rescue Squad, Valatie Rescue Squad, Columbia County EMS Coordinator PJ Keeler and Columbia County Fire Coordinator Bill Hunt.
