On Tuesday, January 3rd, at 1:33 PM, the South Salem Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 81 Twin Lakes Road. All three Chiefs signed on responding right after, followed moments later by E-167 and T-2. Approximately five minutes after the initial dispatch, New York State Police gave an update stating that flames were through the roof. Car 2451 immediately called for a first alarm response, bringing in mutual aid tankers and manpower from Croton Falls, Goldens Bridge, Pound Ridge, Vista, Bedford Hills and Ridgefield CT.

As Car 2451 (A. Llewellyn) arrived on scene to assume command, he was notified by police that all occupants were out of the building. A size up was given, and 1st Assistant Chief I. Llewellyn assumed operations. There was fire through the roof on the "A" side of the building with heavy fire out of the rear "C" side. Smoke was already showing running the entire ridge line of the building.

As E-167 and T-2 arrived on scene, two lines were pulled to a mudroom door on the "A" side of the building in order to try and protect the remaining two thirds of the building. As the first crew in made entry, they were met by heavy smoke and clutter at the top of the stairs. Due to an inability to advance, it was quickly decided to pull out and attempt entry through the front door. In the process, one firefighter became caught up in debris and fell down the stairs, but was unhurt.

As a line was pulled into the front door, firefighters were able to advance up a spiral staircase, only to be met with heavy fire and a compromised floor. As they pulled out, firefighters again attempted to reenter the first door, this time able to make their way to the second floor, which was an open space bedroom, and attack the fire. A second line was brought up while another backup line was pulled, but while conditions were not changing on the inside, they were rapidly deteriorating overhead. By this time, the fire had started to run the open attic space and was advancing overhead. The decision was made to pull all firefighters out of the building as fire had broke through the roof of the middle portion of the house.

Multiple hand lines were put into use from the exterior in an attempt to stop the progression of the fire. Two portable pumps were put into use in the rear of the house, drawing water from the lake. A water source was established in a stream between the lakes, but during exterior operations, that became insufficient due to the volume of water being used.

It was then decided that Bedford Hills' Tower Ladder would be brought up to the scene to be used for its aerial master stream. In order to do this, water supply operations had to be suspended in order to move apparatus out of the way and then back the tower ladder down the road. Once the tower ladder was in place, water supply operations resumed, this time by laying a mile and a half of supply line to the dry hydrant located on Osceleta Rdoad and using relay engines in order to provide enough water for the master stream.

Firefighters remained on scene dumping water on the house until approximately 9:00 PM. By then it was decided that the majority of the fire had been knocked down and it was unsafe to enter or walk on the structure and the best course of action was to start packing up, as hose was starting to freeze. Firefighters would then return later, to extinguish any hot spots.

Once the apparatus had been put back together in quarters, firefighters returned to the scene to attempt to put out hot spots. Unfortunately, due to ice and the condition of the building, many spots were inaccessible and an excavator was called in at 1:00 AM to assist.

The Westchester County Cause and Origin Team determined that the fire started in a stack-able washer/dryer located on the second floor. Fire traveled up the dryer vent which vented into the attic. It was determined that prior to arrival, there was already fire throughout the entire attic of the house.

The South Salem Fire Department would like to extend our appreciation to all responding departments for their assistance as well as Tom Gossett and Pat Donatan for supplying the excavator in the middle of the night.