Firefighters battle Bedford Hills blaze

BEDFORD HILLS, N.Y. — Bedford Hills firefighters contained a two-alarm blaze at a multifamily home Tuesday, with no injuries reported.

According to the BHFD website, the unit was dispatched at about 1:39 p.m. to a reported kitchen fire at 43 Rome Ave.

Engine 198 was the first Bedford Hills unit to arrive. Its crew saw smoke coming from the doorway and immediately transmitted a 10-75, indicating a working structure fire in an occupied two-story multifamily building.

Crews from engines 198 and 199 encountered heavy fire inside the apartment. They worked to locate and extinguish the blaze while searching the unit. During those operations, flames spread along the building’s exterior toward the second floor.

A second alarm brought additional mutual-aid resources to the scene, including a firefighter assist and search team from the Yorktown Heights Fire Department.

The main body of the fire was extinguished about 2:09 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after the initial dispatch. Firefighters continued overhaul operations and conducted additional searches to confirm that the fire was fully extinguished and no other hazards remained.

Tower Ladder 57 crews worked on the roof and at the rear of the building to check whether the fire had spread to the floors above. Firefighters extinguished the exterior flames before they reached other apartments, and the fire remained confined to the apartment where it began.

Katonah Fire Department’s Ladder 39 assisted with primary and secondary searches of the affected apartment and neighboring units.

The Bedford and Mount Kisco fire departments sent engines and additional personnel. Mount Kisco also provided a firefighter assist and search team.

The Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Westchester EMS provided medical support. One building occupant was evaluated. No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported.

The American Red Cross responded to assist displaced residents.

The Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Cause and Origin Team is investigating the fire. The cause remains under investigation.

Bedford Hills units:
Car 2031, Car 2032, Car 2033, Engine 198, Engine 199, Tower Ladder 57, Tanker 5, DC-41, DC-43 and DC-44

Mutual aid:

• Bedford Fire Department: Car 2041 and Engine 109

• Katonah Fire Department: Car 2213 and Ladder 39

• Mount Kisco Fire Department: Car 2282, Engine 104, Engine 105 (FAST) and Utility 13

• Yorktown Heights Fire Department: Car 2531, Car 2532, Car 2533 and Rescue 16 (FAST)

• Katonah Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps: 65B2

• Westchester EMS: 45M1

• Westchester County Department of Emergency Services: battalions 13, 16 and 24, and Cause and Origin Zone 5

• American Red Cross

• Bedford Police Department

Units relocated to Bedford Hills:

• Croton Falls Fire Department: Car 2071 and Ladder 67

• Port Chester Fire Department: Rescue 40

• Pound Ridge Fire Department: Car 2401, Car 2403 and Engine 113

Article courtesy of Bedford Hills FD.