VOORHEESVILLE, NY - Firefighters quickly knocked down a house fire in Voorheesville on a cold Monday night.

Fire crews were dispatched to 22 Moss Road in Voorheesville around 8:30 P.M. on Monday, January 15th, for reports from a neighbor of smoke and flames coming from the home.

Assistant Chief John Hensel of the Voorheesville Fire Department arrived on scene to heavy smoke and flames from the right side of the home and declared a Signal 30. He says nobody was living in the home at the time, as the home was under reconstruction from an earlier flood that occurred. He did say, however, one of the homeowners was on the scene standing in the front lawn upon his arrival.

“He was trying to put the fire out himself and he burned himself,” Hensel said. At this time the extent of the burn injuries are not known.

Hensel says the homeowner was transported to the hospital and transferred to a burn unit in unknown condition. He is unsure how many people lived in the home, but says nobody was living in the home at the time of the fire. There was one dog at the scene that was safely taken from the scene and taken by a homeowner.

Agencies on scene included Voorheesville, New Salem, Guilderland Center, Onesquethaw and North Bethlehem fire departments with assistance from Albany County Sheriff’s Ambulance, Albany County Paramedics, Albany County Sheriff’s.

The fire was under control in approximately one hour with crews then chasing some hot spots. Hensel says hot spots were easy to chase with the sheetrock already removed from portions of the home due to the ongoing renovations. He says the home suffered heavy smoke and water damage, but the fire did not burn all of the home.

“The one room where the origin of the fire was, took the brunt of the damage,” he said. “The contents had heat, water and heavy smoke damage.”

Crews had no issues with water, however, New Salem Fire was brought in with tankers as a precaution.

“I always get a little nervous this time of year with frozen hydrants,” Hensel said. “At least we’d have some water as a backup.”

Hensel says the investigators have ruled out any signs of arson.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and no apparent cause has been released.