Six fire departments battle blaze on Chappaqua Road

August 7, 2009
by Russell Maitland

At 2:50 p.m. on Friday, July 31, the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services received several calls reporting an unknown type of fire on Chappaqua Road and also on nearby Stone Road. The Chappaqua Fire Department responded to both locations, one chief to each location.

Upon arrival at 621 Chappaqua Road, 2nd Assistant Chief John Maduras found a working fire in the garage, from floor to roof, and realized that callers reporting Stone Road as the location of the fire had been mistaken. All incoming units were advised of the true location and updated as to the fire conditions.

1st Assistant Chief Charlie Bergstrom arrived moments later from Stone Road and assumed command of the fire scene. Because the Chappaqua Fire Department has pre-arranged requests for neighboring departments’ resources for every address within its protection district, additional trucks, equipment and firefighters were automatically dispatched to the scene from Millwood, Pleasantville, Mt. Kisco, Ossining and Briarcliff.  Ambulances from Chappaqua, Pleasantville and Briarcliff were called to the scene as well as paramedics from Westchester EMS. Pleasantville Ambulance sent their rehab unit to keep firefighters cool and hydrated.

After battling the fire for over two hours, firefighters brought it under control.  Bergstrom’s aggressive attack in sending firefighters inside the structure as well as the coordinated effort of the firefighters resulted in limiting the fire spread to the area of origin and saving more than two thirds of the structure. Most importantly, there were no injuries to anyone on the fire scene, although two pet birds perished.

As per protocol, the Westchester County “Cause and Origin Team” were called in to determine the cause of the fire. The team ruled the fire to have been accidental, attributing it to a possible lightning strike. In order to prevent rekindling, crews remained on the scene until shortly after 8:00 p.m., making sure all hot spots remained extinguished.

Russell Maitland, chief of the Chappaqua Fire Department, moved to New Castle when he was seven years old, 37 years ago.  He has been a member of the Chappaqua Fire Department for 27 years. His two children attend Chappaqua schools. He coaches youth lacrosse and baseball for the New Castle Baseball and Softball Association.

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