Members of the MTA Police, Beacon Fire and Police Departments were dispatched to a local apartment building that houses seniors shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, where there was a report of smoky conditions inside the residence.
Firefighters were first on the scene, and upon arrival, they reported that there was a smoke condition on the first floor, prompting them to transmit a second alarm. The location of the fire was initially unknown, and crews began searching each floor.
Officials said that due to the large-scale evacuation of the senior residents, members of the Beacon Police Department and MTA Police were called in to assist, due to the limited manpower at the scene.
Fire crews eventually located the source of the fire in a first-floor laundry room. Firefighters quickly stretched a hose to the room and were able to swiftly knock down the flames. They then began extensive ventilation efforts to remove the smoke from every floor of the building.
One resident of the apartment building was hospitalized with respiratory problems, though no other injuries were reported.
On Facebook, the Beacon PBA said that “this incident is a perfect example of how all the city of Beacon’s services work together to achieve a safe and successful outcome. The PBA would also like to recognize the residents of the senior housing who remained calm and helped each other out of the building in a safe and timely manner.”
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