UPDATED: Fire Consumes Home, One Firefighter Treated, Two Pets Lost

New City Assistant Fire Chief James Avaras said flames were shooting into the air when firefighters arrived at 290 Phillips Hill Road in New City just after 10 a.m. Monday morning.

“The house was fully involved on our arrival,” said Avaras. “The guys did a phenomenal job with that kind of heat.”

 Avaras said everyone was accounted for and and two pets were rescued, a dog and a bird, but two dogs died in the fire. Firefighters from New City and  West Havertstraw were treated for heat exhaustion and taken to Nyack Hospital.

Avaras said the blaze at the two-story home of about 4,500 square feet was difficult to fight because of its location. The house situated at the top of a long driveway was 1800 feet away from the nearest fire hydrant. Hoses were stretched from the fire hydrant. Avaras said Phillips Hill Road does not have an adequate number of hydrants.

Firefighters continued to battle hot spots in the shell of the house that remained. More than two hours after the fire was reported, heavy smoke still poured from the shell of the house and the four walls while firefighters poured water on them. At about 12:30 p.m., Avaras said the fire was pretty much under control although he expected firefighters to be there for much of the day. The cause was unknown but Avaras said it was possible a gas line was involved and an Orange & Rockland crew was called in to shut it off.

“There was a gas line that was wide open,” he said. “We couldn’t control it.”

The house is on a parcel of property shared with another house and a cottage neither of which appeared to have fire damage. Joan Falk, owner of the other house, said she was not immediately aware of the fire and did not know who called 911.

“I heard some popping noises,” she said. “I thought it was firecrackers or something. It looked like it started in the center of the house and went through the roof.”

80 firefighters from across Rockland County responded to the fire. Volunteers from the New City, Nanuet, Hillcrest, West Haverstraw, West Nyack, Congers, Orangeburg, Spring Valley and Havertstraw fire departments and members of the New City Ambulance and Spring Hill EMS. Clarkstown police provided traffic control, directing drivers away from the large section of Phillips Hill Road that was lined with emergency vehicles.