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First responders were dispatched to a Brown’s Road home at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 16, when the fire started on the second floor of a home in the Coldenham section of Montgomery.
Multiple fire agencies, led by the Coldenham Fire Department, responded to the blaze, which was knocked down within an hour. A tour of the house found a man - later identified as 43-year-old Michael O’Malley, in a second story bedroom.
The man was taken to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 16. Three other dogs survived the fire.
The fire remains under investigation, and no cause for the blaze has been released. Check Daily Voice for updates as they are released.
After the fire, the Coldenham Fire Department offered residents several tips to keep safe in the event of a similar incident:
- Keep all doors closed when possible. In the event of a fire, this will isolate the fire and increase the chance of survivability and minimize damage;
- If you ever have a fire in your home or place of employment exit the building immediately and do not re-enter for any reason;
- Maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on all levels of your house and every bedroom;
- Clearly label your house with large reflective numbers easily identified from the street;
- Establish a safe meeting area for your family in the event an incident does occur.
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