PATTERSON – Dozens of firefighters from departments in Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester, and Fairfield counties fought a blaze that destroyed a 70-year-old, 1,400 square foot wood frame home on Ice Pond Road in Patterson Thursday morning.
The blaze was reported at midnight when Patterson Fire Chief Joseph Pignatelli answered a phone call at fire department headquarters from an “excited woman” reporting her house was on fire.
The chief contacted the 911 Dispatch Center in Carmel which sounded an alarm as Pignatelli rushed to the residence and confirmed a working fire.
Temperatures at the time were below zero and realizing the severity of the situation, the chief requested mutual aid from surrounding agencies.
Members of the Brewster, Carmel, Lake Carmel, Putnam Lake, Mahopac, Pawling, Dover, Goldens Bridge and Sherman Fire Departments were pressed intro action, many manning tanker trucks since the Ice Pond Road area is not serviced by a municipal water supply and contains no fire hydrants.
Pignatelli reminded the public when in need of emergency services “always call 911.: Had I not been at the fire station when the woman called, there would have been a delay in response time.”
Upon arrival, crews found the wood frame home ablaze with its occupants, a young couple and several dogs safely evacuated.
Crews battled the fire throughout the early morning hours under extremely difficult conditions. Water immediately turned to ice making footing for the firefighters extremely difficult with many slipping and falling.
Besides bumps and bruises no injuries were reported to the first responders who remained on the scene until 5 a.m. before being summoned later in the day when the blaze rekindled.
The Putnam Fire Investigation Team was summoned but failed to determine a cause of the blaze.
Also assisting were members of the Putnam Bureau of Emergency Services, Putnam Department of Public Works, Patterson Community Ambulance, Putnam Paramedics, Putnam Sheriff’s Department and Brewster State Police.
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