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The blaze began around 2:50 a.m., Wednesday, April 15, in Arlington in the detached garage of a home at 45 LaGrange Avenue.
Arriving firefighters found the three-bay detached garage fully involved in fire with two additional cars parked in the driveway, said Arlington Fire District Chief William Steenbergh.
Town police officers were already assisting with evacuating occupants from the nearby houses as a second alarm was issued bringing addition to the scene, as well as Mobile Life Support, and the City of Poughkeepsie FD.
The fire completely destroyed the garage, the two cars in the driveway suffered extensive damage from radiant heat, and a small chicken coop immediately adjacent to the garage was destroyed as well, the chief said.
There were no injuries, and all of the occupants of the nearby houses were able to return to their homes.
A number of chickens were rescued by civilians prior to Arlington’s arrival, but unfortunately, 5 chickens perished in the fire, Steenbergh said.
The fire was extinguished in 30 minutes.
Assisting at the scene of the fire were the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, Mobile Life Support Services, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, Town of Poughkeepsie Building Department, and Central Hudson Gas & Electric. The New Hamburg and Roosevelt Fire Districts were dispatched to standby in Arlington stations.
The origin and cause of the fire was determined to be from a heat lamp that was being used inside the chicken coop.
The cause of the fire is considered to be accidental.
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