As Firefighters Get to New City House Fire, They Find Hydrant Is Missing

Volunteers firefighters who were called to battle a house fire in New City last night were sure glad their trucks carry lots of water. When they went to hook up to a nearby fire hydrant, all they found was the hole where the hydrant is supposed to be.

Hillcrest Fire Chief Kim Weppler said the hydrant at West Clarkstown Road and Addison Boyce Drive apparently has been out of service since May 16. Despite not having access to the hydrant, Weppler said his department's trucks had ample water to fight the blaze at 149 West Clarkstown Road.

No one was hurt in the fire, which investigators believe may have been started by a smoking material carelessly tossed in mulch behind the house.

The fire was reported about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday by a neighbor who saw flames coming from the back of 149 West Clarkstown Road. Weppler said the neighbor alerted residents of the house to the fire and everyone inside escaped without injury.

There were about 25 Hillcrest volunteer firefighters at the house to battle the blaze. None of the firefighters was injured, Weppler said. Members of the Nanuet Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Rockland Paramedics also went to the scene of the fire.

Weppler said the fire appears to have started in the rear of the house near the home's power and electric service. He said the fire damaged the rear wall, but had not broken through the interior of the house.

Clarkstown police said detectives and town fire inspectors were investigating the fire. As of late this afternoon, inspectors suspected carelessly discarded smoking material created a fire in mulch behind the house and then caused plywood by a basement window to catch fire.

As for the missing hydrant, Weppler suspects the device had been repeatedly struck by automobiles - having seen broken car parts on the ground near the housing for the hydrant.