POUGHKEEPSIE – An early morning fire on Sunday on Mansion Street in the City of Poughkeepsie displaced seven adults and four children and killed two pets in the multi-family dwelling. The fire department was dispatched to the structure at 1:23 a.m.
Poughkeepsie Fire Department Deputy Chief Vincent Parise said his firefighters encountered heavy fire on the first and second floors in the rear of the multi-story home when they arrived.
All occupants had gotten out of the building prior to the fire department’s arrival and were aided by the American Red Cross.
The fire escalated to a second alarm within nine minutes, which brought firefighters from Arlington and Fairview to the scene to assist. Firefighters from the Highland and Roosevelt Fire Departments relocated to Poughkeepsie firehouses to provide coverage in the city. Poughkeepsie firefighters assigned to Engine 2 encountered water pressure issues while battling the blaze. The fire was quickly encroaching on the vital fire hose, creating a dangerous situation.
Firefighters remained on the scene until 4:30 Sunday morning to extinguish the blaze and associated embers.