PAWLING – Pawling firefighters battled adverse conditions Saturday night and saved a house from being destroyed by a fire. A faulty chimney is the likely cause of the fire at 26 Frenchmans Lane, according to Chief Everett White.
When the volunteers responded to the call at approximately 11:24 p.m., it was four degrees outside with substantial winds blowing from the north, which caused equipment malfunctions that the crew had to overcome, White noted.
The fire department was dispatched for a chimney fire with possible extension at the Frenchmans Lane residence after the occupants, who were using the fireplace, noticed smoke and a “brown spot” on the wall above the fireplace.
First arriving crews found a heavy smoke condition in the residence with fire in the walls extending to the attic. Chief White said that the small crew of firefighters worked fast and prevented a disaster. “The fire was about three minutes away from going through the roof vent. If that fire went through the vent it would have been pushed by the wind and the roof would have burned rapidly. Our dedicated volunteers used their training, prevented a true disaster, and did it by themselves.” The bulk of the fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping chimneys in good working order and having them inspected on a regular basis,” Chief White said. “Simple tasks like checking smoke detectors and cleaning chimneys save lives.”
When the firefighters finished the job, they were heading back to the station when they happened upon a two-car accident on Route 22. After rendering aid at the accident, the first responders returned to the firehouse to restore the equipment used during the calls before heading home.
