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Fire Safety

Police & Fire
Blaze Tears Through Home In Rye Blaze Tears Through Home In Rye
Blaze Tears Through Home In Rye Firefighters in Westchester quickly extinguished a house fire that broke out early in the morning, officials said. The blaze occurred in the Greenhaven area of Rye on Monday morning, Dec, 9, according to the Rye Fire Department. Arriving firefighters were able to quickly knock down the flames and check for any fire extension before bringing the situation under control.  In photos released by the department, flames could be seen shooting out of the home's roof.  No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not detailed. 

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Massive Blaze Engulfs Vacant Port Chester Commercial Building Massive Blaze Engulfs Vacant Port Chester Commercial Building
Massive Blaze Engulfs Vacant Port Chester Commercial Building Firefighters battled an early morning fire at a vacant commercial building in Westchester.  The blaze broke out around 4:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 46 Broad St. in Port Chester, according to the Port Chester Fire Department.  When first responders arrived, heavy flames were seen from the rear of the two-story vacant commercial building, and there were initial reports of possible people trapped inside. Firefighters forced their way into the building and conducted searches under heavy fire, high heat, and low visibility conditions, fire officials said.  Luckily, all s…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Duo Nabbed For Having Fires Amid Burn Ban In Hudson Valley: Police Duo Nabbed For Having Fires Amid Burn Ban In Hudson Valley: Police
Duo Nabbed For Having Fires Amid Burn Ban In Hudson Valley: Police Two 46-year-old men received summonses after having fires on their properties in the region amid a statewide burn ban, authorities said.  Both incidents happened in Putnam County on Sunday, Nov. 17, and were in violation of Gov. Kathy Hochul's ban on burning for brush and debris disposal, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The first occurred just after 5 p.m., when a sheriff's deputy encountered a possible brush fire on Nichols Road in Southeast. A closer inspection revealed it to be burning construction material in a residence's backyard, the Sheriff's O…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters
Rental Home Owners Dodge Jail After NY Fire That Killed 2 Sisters A husband and wife will avoid jail after admitting fault in a fire at their New York vacation rental that killed two sisters. On Long Island, Peter Miller, age 56, and Pamela Miller, age 55, were each sentenced to community service in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the deaths of Lindsay and Jillian Wiener, CBS New York reports. The 19-year-old Lindsay and 21-year-old Jillian, both of Potomac, Maryland, were vacationing with their brother and parents at the Millers’ Noyac home when the blaze broke out on the morning of Aug. 3, 2022. Earlier Report: Sisters On Vacation K…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues
Open Fires Banned In Westchester Parks As Drought Watch Continues As dry conditions continue, open fires have been banned in Westchester County-owned parks. The ban was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 6 by Westchester Parks officials, who also said it was effective immediately.  The ban follows a Drought Watch declared by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Tuesday, Nov. 5 as a result of low precipitation levels. According to parks officials, wooded environments in parks such as camping sites and remote areas have an increased fire risk because of the rain shortage.  During the ban, charcoal and propane fires are only a…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Crews Battle Brush Fire At Golf Course In Westchester Crews Battle Brush Fire At Golf Course In Westchester
Crews Battle Brush Fire At Golf Course In Westchester Firefighters battled persistent flames at a golf course in Westchester for more than an hour.  The blaze happened at the Saint Andrew's Golf Course in Hastings-on-Hudson on Tuesday evening, Nov. 5, according to the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department, which helped assist with the response.  Arriving crews battled the fire for around an hour and a half before it was contained, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze was not detailed. No injuries were reported.  This evening the Dobbs Ferry Fire Department was dispatched to assist the Hastings on Hudson Fire Department with..…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Lithium Ion Batteries Cause 2 Fires At Westchester Residences Lithium Ion Batteries Cause 2 Fires At Westchester Residences
Lithium Ion Batteries Cause 2 Fires At Westchester Residences Firefighters rushed to two Northern Westchester homes after devices containing lithium-ion batteries went up in flames.  One of the incidents happened at a Somers residence on Wednesday, Aug. 21, when the battery inside a child-sized all-terrain vehicle went into thermal runway at around 1:30 a.m., spewing smoke, sparks, toxic gas, and debris, according to the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services.  The family was soon awakened by smoke detectors, DES officials said, adding that hazmat team members arrived to safely dispose of the battery.  The second fire…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Firefighters Burn Off Leaking Propane Tank In Rye Brook Firefighters Burn Off Leaking Propane Tank In Rye Brook
Firefighters Burn Off Leaking Propane Tank In Rye Brook Part of a residential road in Westchester was closed as fire crews burned off a leaking propane tank at a home.  The incident happened on Monday, Aug. 9 at a residence in Rye Brook on Hillandale Road near King Street, according to the Rye Brook Police Department.  After the leaking propane tank was discovered, crews from the Port Chester and Rye Brook Fire Departments emptied it by burning it off, creating a pillar of flames coming from the residence's yard.  During the controlled burn, the road in the area was closed to traffic. It was eventually reopened by 4:45 p.m.&…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Large Tree Falls On Wires, Sparks Blaze In Hudson Valley Large Tree Falls On Wires, Sparks Blaze In Hudson Valley
Large Tree Falls On Wires, Sparks Blaze In Hudson Valley Part of a busy Hudson Valley road is closed after a large tree fell across it, striking power lines in the process.  The stretch of Bucks Hollow Road between Astor Drive and Route 6 in the Putnam County town of Carmel is currently impassable thanks to a fallen tree, the Carmel Highway Department announced on Friday, Aug. 9 just before 4:30 p.m.  The tree sparked a fire after it fell on power lines, as shown in photos of the incident released by the department.  NYSEG has since been notified. For now, motorists in the area should use alternate routes.  This is a de…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Scooter's Lithium-Ion Battery Prompts Hazmat Response At Westchester Home Scooter's Lithium-Ion Battery Prompts Hazmat Response At Westchester Home
Scooter's Lithium-Ion Battery Prompts Hazmat Response At Westchester Home A set of lithium-ion batteries inside an electric scooter sparked a flash fire that broke windows and blew garage doors off their tracks at a Northern Westchester home. The blaze happened on Monday, July 8 just before 9 p.m. at a residence in Somers on Weeks Court, the Somers Volunteer Fire Department announced on Thursday, July 11.  According to the fire department, arriving crews found a scooter on fire in the home's garage and took it outside. They then evacuated the residence and began to cool down the scooter's lithium-ion batteries.  Firefighters soon went back inside and f…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester
Car Damaged By Fire On Busy Parkway In Westchester A car fire prompted a large response from firefighters on a busy parkway in Northern Westchester. The blaze happened on Tuesday, June 25 around 5 p.m., when a car caught on fire on the southbound Taconic State Parkway in Millwood, according to the Millwood Fire Department. Fire crews soon arrived at the scene and found the burning car on the parkway's shoulder. The blaze was put out after around 45 minutes, the department said. No injuries were reported. The department did not give details on the cause of the fire. 

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Brush Fire Reaches Car In Costco Parking Lot In Westchester Brush Fire Reaches Car In Costco Parking Lot In Westchester
Brush Fire Reaches Car In Port Chester Costco Parking Lot Firefighters responded to a Costco parking lot in Westchester after a brush fire ignited next to a vehicle.  The incident happened on Tuesday, April 16 around 3:30 p.m., when a brush fire went up in the Costco Wholesale parking lot in Port Chester at 1 Westchester Ave., according to the Port Chester Fire Department.  The blaze extended to a vehicle in the parking lot before being put out, the fire department said.  The department did not detail the cause of the fire. 

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fire Prompts Evacuation At School In Westchester Fire Prompts Evacuation At School In Westchester
Port Chester's Corpus Christi School Evacuated After Fire An elementary school in Westchester was evacuated after a blaze broke out in the building's kitchen. The fire began in the kitchen of the Corpus Christi School in Port Chester at 136 South Regent St. around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, according to the Port Chester Fire Department.  Students were evacuated before firefighters arrived at the scene. Once crews got to the school, they quickly knocked the blaze out in just under an hour, the department said. No injuries were reported in connection to the fire. The cause of the blaze was not released. 

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Oily Rags Start Blaze Inside Golf Course Clubhouse In Westchester Oily Rags Start Blaze Inside Golf Course Clubhouse In Westchester
Oily Rags Start Blaze Inside Golf Course Clubhouse In Westchester Firefighters responded to the clubhouse at a Northern Westchester golf course after discarded oily rags sparked a blaze inside the building.  The incident happened on Friday, March 1 at around 6 p.m., when a fire alarm went off inside the clubhouse at Glen Arbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, the Bedford Hills Fire Department said on Tuesday, March 5.  Responding crews found a small fire in the building's parlor room caused by oily rags that spontaneously combusted inside a trash can. The smoldering blaze was soon extinguished and contained in the room, the department said. Crews th…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Flames Shoot Out Of Chimney At Westchester Home Flames Shoot Out Of Chimney At Westchester Home
Flames Shoot Out Of Chimney At Westchester Home Firefighters raced to a Northern Westchester home after a blaze broke out in the residence's chimney.  The blaze happened on Sunday evening, Feb. 25, when a chimney fire broke out at a residence in Bedford on Mary's Lane, the Bedford Fire Department said on Wednesday, Feb. 28.  The resident told firefighters that flames were extending several feet from the top of the chimney. However, the blaze died down a bit by the time crews arrived and became contained within the flue between the fireplace and the chimney top.  Crews soon began working to clean out the firebox and climbe…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Off-Brand Rechargeable Battery Starts Blaze At Westchester Home Off-Brand Rechargeable Battery Starts Blaze At Westchester Home
Off-Brand Rechargeable Battery Starts Blaze At Westchester Home Fire officials are giving residents battery safety tips following a blaze at a Northern Westchester residence caused by an off-brand rechargeable product. The fire broke out on Wednesday, Jan. 24 around 3 p.m. at a residence in Somers on Wood Street, the Yorktown Heights Volunteer Fire Department announced on Saturday, Jan. 27.  According to the department, which provided mutual aid during the incident, a small fire broke out on the first floor of the residence but was quickly put out.  The cause of the blaze was later determined to be an off-brand rechargeable battery, fire…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
4 Firefighters Hospitalized After 4-Alarm Blaze At Condominiums In Westchester 4 Firefighters Hospitalized After 4-Alarm Blaze At Condominiums In Westchester
4 Firefighters Hospitalized After 4-Alarm Blaze At Condominiums In Westchester A four-alarm blaze at a condominium complex in Westchester resulted in four firefighters and one civilian being sent to a nearby hospital, fire officials said.  The blaze happened on Thursday night, Dec. 7 at a three-story condominium complex in White Plains at 87 North Broadway, when a fire ignited on the building's second floor.  According to White Plains Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 274, arriving crews found extreme clutter conditions and high heat inside the room where the fire had begun, which forced them to retreat into a hallway.  Another engine company t…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Lithium-Ion Battery Fires: New Law To Reduce Incidents In Westchester, Officials Say Lithium-Ion Battery Fires: New Law To Reduce Incidents In Westchester, Officials Say
Lithium-Ion Battery Fires: New Law To Reduce Incidents In Westchester, Officials Say Officials in Westchester County have passed legislation intended to combat dangerous fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. The legislation, which Westchester County Executive George Latimer has signed, will increase safety regulations regarding lithium-ion batteries for electric mobility devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters, and hoverboards, officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 1.  The new law will stipulate the following:  Only regulated and graded lithium-ion batteries for electric mobility devices will be able to be sold in Westchester; Every retail establishment in the cou…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fire Risk: Electric Car Carefully Removed From Woods After Crashing, Flipping In Westchester Fire Risk: Electric Car Carefully Removed From Woods After Crashing, Flipping In Westchester
Fire Risk: Electric Car Carefully Removed From Woods After Crashing, Flipping In Westchester Crews had to be careful to avoid sparking a fire while removing an electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery that crashed and flipped over into a wooded area in Northern Westchester.  The incident happened on Monday, Oct. 16 around 1:30 p.m., when crews from the Millwood Volunteer Fire Co. #1 and the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to a rollover crash in Millwood on Route 134 at the intersection with Grace Lane.  According to Millwood Fire, arriving firefighters discovered that the car had lost control and crashed into a rock before flipping and landing in crush 75 …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Flaming Fridge Starts Blaze At Housing Complex In Westchester Flaming Fridge Starts Blaze At Housing Complex In Westchester
Flaming Fridge Starts Blaze At Housing Complex In Westchester A fire started by a refrigerator in the garage of a residence at a housing complex in Northern Westchester could have been much worse if not for the quick action of the homeowner, fire officials said.   The incident happened on Wednesday, June 21 just after 12:30 a.m., when firefighters from the Somers Volunteer Fire Department were sent to the Green Briar housing complex on a report of smoke pouring out of a residence.  According to the department, firefighters soon found smoke coming from the garage of a residence. Upon entering the structure, they then found that a refrige…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fatal Fire: 2 Escape Jail After Blaze Claiming Lives Of Hudson Valley Firefighter, Other Man Fatal Fire: 2 Escape Jail After Blaze Claiming Lives Of Hudson Valley Firefighter, Other Man
Fatal Fire: 2 Escape Jail After Blaze Claiming Lives Of Hudson Valley Firefighter, Other Man Two rabbis who pleaded guilty to a fatal fire at an adult home in the Hudson Valley have escaped jail time through a plea deal. Rockland County residents Nathaniel Sommer, age 72, of Monsey, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 20 to two counts of second-degree manslaughter and is expected to be sentenced to five years probation, said Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh. His son, Aaron Sommer, age 29, also of Monsey, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree reckless endangerment, which carries a sentence of three years probation, Walsh added. The fire, which took place around…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Raging Brush Fire Requires Use Of Over 1K Feet Of Hose In Westchester Raging Brush Fire Requires Use Of Over 1K Feet Of Hose In Westchester
Raging Brush Fire Requires Use Of Over 1K Feet Of Hose In Westchester A brush fire that erupted in Northern Westchester in the midst of elevated fire risk conditions took firefighters from several departments hours to put out.  The fire occurred on Thursday afternoon, April 13 in the hamlet of Montrose in the woods near Washington Street, according to the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department.  As the fire began to quickly spread, firefighters from numerous departments were called to the scene.  Croton-On-Hudson department members remained at the blaze from around 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., then returned to the fire station to repack the over 1,000 feet of hose tha…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Don't Be Next: Tips To Avoid Generator Fires Like This One In Westchester County Don't Be Next: Tips To Avoid Generator Fires Like This One In Westchester County
Don't Be Next: Tips To Avoid Generator Fires Like This One In Westchester County When using a generator to power your home after losing power, it's important to follow safety tips to avoid a fire like one that happened in Northern Westchester.  On Monday morning, Nov. 28, around 8 a.m., firefighters in Somers responded to a residence in the Somers Chase complex for a reported generator fire, according to the Somers Volunteer Fire Department.  Luckily, firefighters were able to knock out the blaze before it caused any damage to the home, fire officials said.  According to the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, fires can be a co…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Firefighters Snuff Out Chimney Fire In Westchester County, Warn About Keeping Them Clean Firefighters Snuff Out Chimney Fire In Westchester County, Warn About Keeping Them Clean
Firefighters Snuff Out Chimney Fire In Westchester County, Warn About Keeping Them Clean A chimney fire in Northern Westchester serves as an example of what happens when a chimney is kept unclean, according to one fire department.  On Friday, Nov. 25, around 5:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a reported chimney fire at a home in Somers on Primrose Street, according to the Somers Volunteer Fire Department.  After arriving at the residence, firefighters found embers coming out of the chimney, accompanied by a "strange noise," fire officials said.  Firefighters then removed burning material from the home's firebox, and put their "chimney snuffer" into operation, …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members
Police In Westchester Warn Against Scammers Posing As Fire Department Members A police department in Westchester County is warning against scammers posing as fire department members to get business owners to pay them money.  Police said a business owner in Eastchester was contacted by an individual claiming to be part of the town's fire department who said that their business's fire extinguishers were expired, and that they should pay to have their extinguishers inspected, according to a post by Eastchester Police from Wednesday, Nov. 9.  The Eastchester Fire Department would not inspect portable fire extinguishers except for periodic building fire inspecti…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
NYC Resident Accused Of Starting Wildfire In Region NYC Resident Accused Of Starting Wildfire In Region
NYC Resident Accused Of Starting Wildfire In Region A New York City resident allegedly violated the statewide brush burn ban which caused a wildland fire in the region.  On Tuesday, March 22 at 4:15 p.m., state forest rangers responded to an open burn in Sullivan County off Route 209 in the town of Mamakating, said the state Department of Environmental Conservation. A 41-year-old Manhattan resident was burning brush and had left the fire unattended, DEC officials said. Due to high winds and dry conditions, the fire spread to approximately 2.5 acres of land. Westbrookville Fire responded and had the fire under control by 4:45 p.m., the…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Over 100 Violations Under Investigation At Property In Hudson Valley Over 100 Violations Under Investigation At Property In Hudson Valley
Over 100 Violations Under Investigation At Property In Hudson Valley The investigation into a fire that left several people trapped - including a 2-year-old child - led to the issuance of more than 100 violations to a Hudson Valley real estate agency. On Wednesday, March 9 in Rockland County, a fire broke out inside an apartment on the 7th floor inside the building at 101 Kennedy Drive in Spring Valley, resulting in multiple people being trapped inside, officials said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said, however, the immediate inspection of the building in the aftermath of the blaze led to the Rockland County Office of Building…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
13 Hospitalized After Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Westchester 13 Hospitalized After Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Westchester
13 Hospitalized After Apartment Fire Breaks Out In Westchester More than a dozen people were hospitalized after an apartment fire broke out overnight in Westchester. The blaze broke out around 2:15 a.m. Saturday, June 5 in New Rochelle in a first-floor apartment fire at 75 Centre Ave. There was heavy smoke upon arrival by firefighters, with several people at windows in front of the building, and on fire escapes, New Rochelle FD Chief Andy Sandor said. Flames were also found coming out of windows in the back left corner apartment in the building, down a narrow alleyway. Firefighters rescued several people down fire escapes,  with all residen…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Village In Area Investigating Suspicious Fires Village In Area Investigating Suspicious Fires
Village In Area Investigating Suspicious Fires A village in the area is investigating a series of suspicious fires. The fires have been started in the early morning or late at night in the Rockland County municipality.  The Suffern Police Department said on Thursday, April 1 said the fires have been set in the Boulevard area of the village of Suffern. "We are asking residents to contact the police desk if they see anything suspicious," the department said. The department is also asking residents to review any video footage they may have from Ring-type doorbells or surveillance cameras for any unknown people in the area. "Residen…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Blaze That Destroyed Apartment Building In Westchester May Have Been Caused By Fireworks Blaze That Destroyed Apartment Building In Westchester May Have Been Caused By Fireworks
Blaze That Destroyed Apartment Building In Westchester May Have Been Caused By Fireworks Police and fire officials in Westchester County are reviewing video surveillance to confirm if fireworks were responsible for a large fire that destroyed a building and left six families homeless. The fire started around 9:30 p.m., Saturday, June 20, at 115 Stanley Ave., in Yonkers, said Yonkers Fire Chief Kevin Ford. More than 100 firefighters responded to the fire that grew to a four-alarm call as flames consumed the building as firefighters evacuated residents living in six apartments, Ford said. Ford said residents told fire officials that kids had been setting off fireworks in the are…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Woman Rescued After House Fire Breaks Out In Westchester Woman Rescued After House Fire Breaks Out In Westchester
Woman Rescued After House Fire Breaks Out In Westchester A woman was rescued from a Westchester home after a fire broke out, officials said. Shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9, firefighters in New Rochelle responded to the Chatsworth Place home, Fire Chief Andy Sandor said.  Upon arrival, they found flames coming out the front of the home and a woman trapped in the second floor of the burning residence. Firefighters were able to save the woman, and helped her down a ladder from the balcony in the back of the home, officials said. She was rescued without injury. It took crews approximately an hour to get the fire under control and the …

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by Zak Failla