POND EDDY, NY — A swift response from 16 fire departments brought a potentially very dangerous house fire on Berm and Church Road quickly under control on October 8. By the time workers next door to the burning house first noticed the smoke smell in the air, then saw the fire and black smoke coming through the roof of the two-story house, most of the house was already ruined. They alerted the neighbor in whose house they were working, and she called 911. Shortly afterward, the first firefighter arrived on the scene, one of Lumberland’s fire chiefs, Jim Simon.

Simon forced open the front door, where flames shot out, after making sure no one was likely to be in since the homeowner’s car wasn’t home. There was a possibility cats might be locked in, although after the fire was put out, no sign of them was found inside the house.

Fire departments and other emergency personnel and vehicles started arriving until the small country road was blocked, and eventually the fire was brought under control. The propane gas tank attached to the home was quickly disengaged by the firefighters. If it had gone off, two or three neighboring houses could have been damaged or caught fire too. Two of the houses are very close, and there are a lot of trees on the properties.

Lumberland Fire Department’s Ann Steimle said the Chief in Charge recounted how 16 fire departments came to assist with the ‘very big fire.’ Lumberland and Highland Lake fought the fire with full responses. Lava and Forestburgh both contributed a tanker and Yulan two engines, one tanker and one rescue with SCBAs. Monticello sent its Fast Team, and White Lake had one engine to stand by in Highland Lake.

From Orange County, Port Jervis helped with one engine to a fill site, and Huguenot and Sparrowbush with one tanker each. Cuddebackville had one engine to stand by in Lumberland.

From across the river in Pike County, PA, Westfall, Millrift and Lackawaxen contributed with one tanker each. Shohola had one tanker to stand by in Yulan’s Barryville Station, and Matamoras helped with one tower.

Steimle explained in a Facebook message, “As you can see we help each other out. Especially with water to rural areas... even with the river and streams abounding, you have to draft and move water and that’s a tanker’s job.”

She also posted, “The dragon was once again slayed, but not without the help of many mutual aide companies. A VERY big fire with lots of extensions and two floors. Thank you, Highland, Yulan, Forestburg, Sparrowbush, American Legion Ambulance and Monticello Fast. Well done. Given the fact it was fully involved, upon arrival, we contained it. No people hurt. God bless us all and keep us safe, and thank you, the officers and members of Lumberland Fire.

“And thank you guys on stand-by in our district—keeping our towns covered! Shohola, Cuddebackville, so much goes into keeping everyone safe.... ”

She concluded by saying it was a multi-county, multi-state mutual aid operation.

Janet Castellano, who lived in the house, was out for the day with her dog, and could not be reached until she returned home. She’s reported to be staying with relatives. No one was hurt in the fire.