Officials Investigate Cause of Ossining Fire

UPDATE, 2/8/2012: Ossining's fire chief tells Patch that there will not be a determination as to the cause of the fire until the end of the week.

UPDATE, 6:35 p.m.: As night falls, people on Edward St. are breathing a sigh of relief after a fire ripped through an Ossining home. The blaze broke out right across the street from the Park School building around 3:55 p.m. Ossining Fire Chief Thomas Reddy says that two contractors were working on the roof around the time the flames erupted from the duplex at 21 Edward St.

"They saw smoke coming from a window area on the second floor. They went and got water, threw water on it, then they realized that they weren't able to put it out," said Chief Reddy.

As the flames started to grow, the contractors ran to safety. At the same time, workers at the Park School noticed the smoke and called the fire department.

Fire officials say no one was in the home when the fire erupted, and that only the contractors were near the house when the fire broke out. The Ossining Fire Department is confirming that the house is currently being renovated and that there are permits for the renovations.

Firefighters say it was tough to fight the flames, especially in the home's attic where the flames reached the roof's peak. It took firefighters about 45 minutes to put out the largest part of the flames, but smaller flames continued to erupt in the attic area.

The siding on the home next door melted due to the heat from the flames.

"We had covered it with water and we were able to stop the flames from going over to the next house," said Chief Reddy.

Dozens of people watched as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, including Ossining resident Mikhael Brown.

"My friend lives next door. I came with her because we thought it was her house. When we came, one side of the house was on fire and it was spreading to the other side of the roof," said Brown. "We thought it was going to spread, but it didn't."

Sixty-five Ossining firefighters were called in to battle the blaze, along with a team from Croton, Sleepy Hollow and other first responders.

Fire officials say the home's roof will have to be replaced and the second floor will have to be repaired. The home's first floor is water damaged due to the effort to put out the flames.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

UPDATE, 6:07 p.m.: As night falls, people on Edward Street are breathing a sigh of relief after a fire ripped through an Ossining home. The blaze broke out right across the street from the Park School building around 3:55 p.m. Ossining Fire Chief Thomas Reddy says that two contractors were working on the roof around the time the flames erupted from the home.

"They saw smoke coming from a window area on the second floor. They went and got water—threw water on it. Then they realized that they weren't able to put it out," said Chief Reddy.

As they flames started to grow, the contractors ran to safety. At the same time, workers at the Park School noticed the smoke and called the fire department.

UPDATE, 5:37 p.m.: No one injured in fire and no one was in the home when firefighters arrived. Ossining's fire chief says two contractors were working on the roof of the home when the blaze started.

UPDATE, 5:17 p.m.: Flames extinguished at Edward Street home. Check back with Patch for the full story.

UPDATE, 5:07 p.m.: Flames continue to erupt from the roof of the Edward Street home.

Original Story:

Emergency responders are convening at 21 Edward St. in Ossining where a structure fire has been reported, according to the .

Police said a cell phone caller reported the blaze to Westchester County control at approximately 3:45 p.m. this afternoon. No one is believed to have been inside the residence at the time.

Ossining Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, along with the Croton FAST Team, responded shortly after to the scene.

Briarcliff Manor's Ambulance Corps was called to the scene for standby at approximately 3:55 p.m.

At about 4:20 p.m., Briarcliff Manor's fire rescue truck was preparing to respond to the structure.

Check with Patch for updates to this story.

Note: This article previously misidentified the street of the fire. It has been corrected.