Second Alarm Brings Tanker Task Force to Cornwall-on-Hudson Fire

A well-involved residential structure fire brought a second-alarm assignment and tanker task force to a hillside property, with firefighters from numerous Orange County departments operating at the scene.

Cornwall-on-Hudson Fire Department, which consists of Storm King Engine Company No. 2, was dispatched at approximately 4:30 p.m. on September 15, 2026, in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. Police arriving ahead of fire apparatus reported a well-involved structure, and Cornwall-on-Hudson Car 1 requested a second alarm.

The response included mutual aid from Cornwall, Highland Falls, Fort Montgomery, Vails Gate, New Windsor, South Blooming Grove, Salisbury Mills, Washingtonville, Maybrook and Monroe, along with West Point and Stewart Air National Guard resources.

With no hydrants available near the property, a tanker task force was activated to establish and maintain water supply. Eight additional tankers were brought into the operation. Multiple handlines were placed in service as crews operated defensively against the main body of fire and worked to contain smaller brush fires that developed along the hillside.

The residence was under construction following an earlier fire and was unoccupied at the time. Contractors had reportedly left the property approximately an hour before the fire was reported. No injuries were reported.

Central Hudson responded to secure electrical service. Cornwall EMS stood by at the scene, while Cornwall and Cornwall-on-Hudson police assisted with the incident. New York State Police handled traffic control along Route 9W and Mountain Road.

Orange County fire investigators responded, and the cause remains under investigation. Officials said the scene was being treated as a crime scene as part of the investigation but emphasized that there was no indication at that time that the fire was suspicious.

(1RN News Desk Helped Contributed to This Story)