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The blaze happened alongside a busy street in Yonkers over the weekend of Saturday, July 20, the Yonkers Police Department announced on Monday, July 22.
According to police, after the fire was reported in the city's 3rd Precinct, the department's new drone, Air1, took off from its launching location from the roof of St. Joseph's Medical Center and flew to the scene of the blaze. There, it was able to catch the incident on camera and give first responders an idea of the situation before they arrived.
"Allowing those responding to see the scene of the emergency BEFORE they arrive is crucial in making sure the appropriate and necessary resources are being dispatched and utilized without delay," the department said.
A video taken by the drone was later released on the department's social media pages.
After firefighters put the blaze out, the drone continued to monitor the scene as its pilot activated its thermal imaging cameras to help crews find hot spots and prevent another flare-up inside the smoldering car.
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