Cause remains under investigation
CARMEL – Fire in a commercial building at 12 Fair Street in downtown Carmel early Wednesday morning damaged the upper level of the two-story building.
The building houses Lorenzo’s Pizzeria and Birthright of Putnam on the first floor and an apartment on the second. The residents were able to escape unharmed.
When firefighters arrived on the scene just after 1:30 a.m., flames and smoke were shooting through the roof. Firefighters had difficulty in extinguishing the two-alarm blaze with an inside attack because of cocklofts and a small attic.
As volunteers opened up the roof from the outside, flames shot through, but were quickly knocked down.
Assisting Carmel Fire Department personnel throughout the morning were the Putnam Valley, Lake Carmel, Kent, Mahopac and Patterson Valley Departments along with members of the Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Two firefighters were overcome by smoke and were treated at the scene.
Fire crews remained on the scene until 6:30 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but is not considered suspicious.
