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The fire happened at a residence in southern Cortlandt on Croton Lake Road on Wednesday, July 5 just after 3:30 p.m., according to the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department.
Once crews arrived at the home, they quickly began putting out the flames, which were centered in the residence's garage underneath the living area. Firefighters were also able to rescue the homeowner's cats that had been trapped in the building.
While making the initial push into the home though, conditions became more dire when several fireworks began exploding, causing a large blast that knocked some firefighters down.
After regrouping, crews continued their advance into the home. At this point, a second alarm was transmitted when the intense heat and concerns about the home's remote location and additional fireworks blasts became too much.
The response ultimately took several hours, and all crews left the area at 6:15 p.m.
Two firefighters were evaluated by emergency responders, including one who was taken to a hospital for a cut on their face. The other firefighter declined medical treatment.
Additionally, a neighbor was also evaluated for potential heat exhaustion.
After an investigation was conducted by the Westchester County Cause and Origin Team, the cause of the fire was determined to be an accidental electrical malfunction.
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