Faulty Lithium Battery Causes Fire In Cornwall

CORNWALL, NY — A malfunctioning lithium battery was the cause of a house fire in Cornwall Sunday.

The Vails Gate Fire Department said the blaze broke out around 7 p.m. at 10 Beakes Rd. in Cornwall.

Arriving firefighters found a garage fire that had extended to two vehicles in the driveway of a two-story home.

Fire officials said all occupants of the home were accounted for, as the blaze began expanding to the second-floor bedroom and attic space above the garage.

Additional equipment was brought in from the city of Newburgh and Washingtonville, and the fire was brought under control in less than an hour.

County investigators said the cause of the fire was a malfunctioning lithium battery from a power tool in the rear of the garage.

With a heavy fire load in the garage, the fire grew quickly, but officials said the older home was built with heavy building materials that helped slow the fire’s progression.