GODEFFROY- Three individuals and several pets were displaced from their home on Friday afternoon due to heavy fire in both the first and second stories of their Godeffroy, NY home.
Two of three residents were home at the time the fire began, shortly before two p.m., May 24. A woman who lived on the first floor was able to safely exit the home, but immediately re-entered and rescued her two dogs. A cat was later rescued by firefighters. Another resident of the downstairs was at work at the time.
Neighbors on scene said an elderly resident who lived upstairs also exited on his own, however, several neighbors said they assisted the man and noticed he had been badly burnt. They alerted arriving firefighters who called for an ambulance. Witnesses said the man exited the house with his hat, which was atop his head, in flames and his arms were visibly scorched. The man received immediate treatment as firefighters and ambulance personnel arrived on scene and was quickly transported for medevac.
Cuddebackville Fire Chief Sean Aumick, who was operating command on scene, received assistance from his department and multiple other mutual aid units at scene, as well as on stand-by and with the medevac transport.
Firefighters also rescued one additional family pet, a 20-year-old cat named Lily. The cat and both rescued dogs belong to the downstairs couple. The downstairs resident, who left work and arrived on scene, said one dog is 21-years-old and named Moochie. The other is a puppy named Brandy. He said all three are rescued. All were sheltered and receiving water and care at a neighbor’s house, and seemed uninjured.
With temperatures in the upper 80s, neighbors brought water to the scene and assisted the fire victims and pets at neighboring homes.
The condition of the upstairs resident and the cause of the fire, believed to have started in the upper story, was not immediately available.
