Firefighters battle fire and broken hydrant

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Pawling Fie Department. Mid-Hudson News file photo.

PAWLING – The Pawling Fire Department was dispatched to 19 Spring Street Tuesday around 11:15 a.m. for a report of a house on fire and people possibly trapped in the building.

Pawling Fire Chief Everett White arrived with a fire engine closely behind.  The engine stopped to hook up to the hydrant, but the cap was unable to be opened, even with “the force of four men,” according to White.  The chief then radioed for assistance including water tankers from the Beekman and Putnam Lake fire departments. The JH Ketcham Hose Company in Dover also responded to the scene with an engine and manpower as smoke was billowing from the multi-story residence.

A Dutchess County Sheriff’s deputy entered the structure and went to the top floor to search for the reportedly trapped victims.  No victims were found and the deputy ended up being transported to Vassar Brothers Medical Center to be treated for extreme smoke inhalation.

Chief White and Firefighter Mike Brown.

Chief White and the firefighters also encountered a flashover, a period when all combustibles in a space ignite simultaneously when temperatures reach near 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

White and firefighter Mike Brown attempted to dowse the flames from outside of the building until additional firefighters were able to make entry and fight the fire from inside.

“We battled some adverse conditions including a broken hydrant and a flashover but we made an incredible save,” said White.  The chief credited his department as well as the mutual aid departments that helped with the midday fire.  “Our working relationship and training with our neighboring departments were on display today.  All involved deserve a huge thanks.”

White pointed out that several volunteer firefighters were in the area for work or other personal business and they all stopped by the scene to lend a hand.

The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation by the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and Dutchess County Fire Investigation Division, with the assistance of a canine.  The American Red Cross was called to the scene to help the six residents that were displaced from the house that sustained substantial heat, smoke, and water damage.

 




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