LAKE MAHOPAC – An early morning fire destroyed a 2,200 square foot, 65-year-old wood frame home overlooking Lake Mahopac Wednesday leaving a family of four including two girls, ages four and two, with only the clothing on their backs.
Fire officials credited smoke detectors for awakening the family who called 911 and evacuated their burning residence, but despite the efforts of dozens of firefighters from throughout Putnam and northern Westchester, the home burned to the ground.
The time was 6:30 a.m. when the alarm was sounded for a working fire at the Louis and Victoria Arocho residence at 68 West Lake Blvd.
Mahopac Falls firefighters responded and when Chief Chris Tompkins and Carmel Police arrived moments later and confirmed an engulfed home mutual aid was requested from the Mahopac, Carmel, Putnam Valley, Somers and Peekskill Fire Departments in addition to the Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, an Empress Paramedic, Putnam Bureau of Emergency Services, Putnam Fire Investigation Team and Battalion 16 Coordinator George Wahlers.
Neighboring agencies including the Lake Carmel, Patterson, Putnam Lake, Croton Falls and Buchanan Fire Departments were also pressed into action standing by for those agencies involved in the fire fight.
Chief Tompkins said the fire began in the garage and spread rapidly.
The area is not served by a municipal water system and contains no fire hydrants. As a result, water was drawn from Lake Mahopac to extinguish the inferno.
No injuries were reported to firefighting personnel. Tragically, however, the family’s dog Charlie perished in the blaze.
Fire crews remained at the scene for some nine hours.
A family friend has started a GoFundMe page to assist the family in rebuilding their lives.
“In a matter of minutes, everything they owned was gone,” said organizer Mariana Loebrich.
Louis Arocho serves as a youth pastor and minister at the Hopewell Reformed Church in Hopewell Junction.
Loebrich said she created the fundraiser to help the family cover urgent needs, including temporary housing, food, clothing, and essentials for their children, as they begin rebuilding their lives.
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