Manley discussed the fire during a Tuesday afternoon
news conference as Ingrassia listens
TOWN OF WALLKILL – A fire official late Tuesday said careless smoking
may have been the cause of a fire that damaged 15 apartments at the Crestwood
Apartment complex on Fitzgerald Drive in the Town of Wallkill. First Assistant
Silver Lake Chief Richard Manley said about a dozen fire departments from
the area fought the flames, which shot out apartment windows.
All of the occupants were able to get out of the building on their own
power.
The blaze broke out just before 1 a.m. and raged for the rest of the night.
Some 20 to 30 people were displaced. A total of roughly 50 people were
evacuated from the burning building as well as nearly apartment buildings
because of the danger of flames spreading.
Five people were injured included two who are in critical condition at
Orange Regional Medical Center. Police Chief Robert Hertman said a 57-year-old
woman sustained burns and smoke inhalation. A 62-year-old woman also suffered
smoke inhalation.
Another tenant, a man, was spotted hanging out of the second-floor window
of his burning apartment and dropped to the ground, sustaining minor injuries.
Another of the five, a pregnant woman, was taken to the hospital for observation.
Depew said she was shaken, but otherwise unhurt.
The building, one of eight in the 50-year-old complex, was condemned.
Acting Building Inspector Frank Leva said an engineer will be on-site
Wednesday to inspect the structure to determine the extent of damage.
Hertman, Manley, Town Supervisor Daniel Depew and Deputy Emergency Management
Director and Town DPW Commissioner Louis Ingrassia, Jr., all praised the
work of the first responders – police, fire and EMS – who
aided in evacuating and treating the residents, and fighting the fire
that lit up the nighttime sky.
Depew said he has contacted all of the other 30 apartment complexes in
Wallkill to determine of they have vacant apartments for the displaced
people.
He also spoke with the representative of Crestwood, asking him to return
security money as well as rent paid in advance to assist those people
who have lost everything in the fire.
