“Fire destroyed a 5-year-old Duanesburg home Wednesday morning but a neighbor alerted the occupant, who escaped safely, officials said.
No one was hurt in the fire at 4417 Skyline Drive. The resident managed to grab a few personal belongings, including a laptop computer, Duanesburg Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Hoffmann said. But the home was a loss. Firefighters could save only the garage area.
Firefighters were called just before 9 a.m. after the neighbor alerted the resident to a fire on the roof.
The home had multiple smoke detectors, but the smoke hadn’t made it to them yet, Hoffmann said.
“They were going off all day,” Hoffmann said. “But not when the fire was detected — none were going off.”
It was unclear how many people lived in the house. Red Cross officials were helping, officials said.
By the time the first fire crews arrived, about 10 feet of the roof was already burning. The chimney side of the home was also burning.
By 10:30 a.m., billowy gray smoke still poured from the windows. Firefighters initially tried to attack the fire from the inside, but conditions soon deteriorated and they moved outside. Inside floors ultimately collapsed, Hoffmann said.
Rainy and cold weather hindered firefighting efforts.
There are no fire hydrants in that part of the county. Firefighters had to go three miles to the nearest water source. That was part of the reason seven fire companies took part in the effort. Duanesburg, Delanson, Plotterkill, Pine Grove, South Schenectady, Mariaville and Rotterdam District 2, all played some role, Hoffmann said.
The fire was the third in that area since October. Another Skyline Drive home, near Hilman Road, was destroyed in the first. In December, near the end of Skyline Drive, a house on Herrick Road also sustained damage, but it is being restored.”
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Cook, Steven. Scheectady Daily Gazette 14 February 2008.