Overnight Fire Damages Ice Cream Shop in Congers

A small fire overnight damaged a Congers ice cream store, but volunteer firefighters said this morning that the building's automatic sprinkler system killed the flames and prevented the fire from spreading.

Phil Leto, second assistant chief of the Congers Fire Department, said the fire appears to have been caused by an electrical problem at Sweet Pete's, 57 Congers Lake Road. Although Leto said firefighters were met with smoke when they arrived at the store at about 3:30 a.m., the sprinkler system had apparently already knocked down the flames.

Congers firefighters forced open the door to the store and tore open spots in several walls to ensure the fire had not spread to hidden areas. Leto said the store suffered mostly smoke and water damage, and that the fire did not spread to other portions of the building.

Because of the time of the fire and the visible smoke when they arrived, Leto said he called for the New City Fire Department's tower ladder truck to assist with the firefighting efforts. He said about a dozen Congers firefighters responded to the fire, with the assistance of the truck crew from New City.

No one was reported injured in the incident.