Wood Stove Fire Extends to Home in Coeymans Hollow

By THOMAS MARRA , Correspondent | December 12, 2021 | NEW YORK

Story No. 121921105

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters contain a woodstove fire that extended in a home in Coeymans Hollow.

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters contain a wood stove fire that extended in a home in Coeymans Hollow, 12/12/21.

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters contain a woodstove fire that extended in a home in Coeymans Hollow.

Photo by Thomas MarraAssistant Chief Joe Firstiun of New Baltimore Fire and Firefighter Jack Stratta of Coeymans Hollow Fire at the scene of a woodstove fire in Coeymans Hollow.

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters contain a woodstove fire that extended in a home in Coeymans Hollow.

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters remove Christmas presents from a home following a woodstove fire.

Photo by Thomas Marra Crews investigating the woodstove inside the basement.

Photo by Thomas MarraFirefighters contain a woodstove fire that extended in a home in Coeymans Hollow.

COEYMANS HOLLOW, NY - Firefighters contained a fire from a wood stove at a home in Coeymans Hollow on Sunday, December 12, 2021.

The Coeymans Hollow Fire Department was dispatched just before 4:45 P.M. after a report of a fire at a residence at 2 Keir Road in Coeymans Hollow. The residents had reported that there was a fire downstairs around their wood stove, and they were evacuating the house.

Coeymans Police and Albany County Sheriffs arrived first on the scene and reported conditions to the fire chiefs, who were en route to the call.

"The homeowner and the first arriving Coeymans Police officer were ripping insulation out and trying to wet down the basement and the outside of the house with a garden hose,” said Chief Bill Kapusta of the Coeymans Hollow Fire Department.

The officers radioed dispatch to advise the fire chiefs that there was an active fire condition inside the home.

“Upon arrival we found heavy smoke inside the house and fire in the rear of the house,” said Chief Kapusta.

Two lines were stretched from the first arriving engine from Coeymans Hollow, sending a hoseline to the rear of the building and one to the interior of the home. Chief Kapusta said there was fire in the basement on the first floor of the home and in the wall between the chimney and the kitchen stove.

“We were able to pull the stove out, open the wall up and put the fire out,” he added.

The kitchen sustained some fire damage as well as smoke damage throughout the home, Kapusta said. He says electrical wires were burnt through, so they shut the power off at the breaker while awaiting National Grid to shut the power off to the home.

Kapusta says the very large wood stove was located in the basement and was full at the time the fire broke out.

“The fire travelled up from the basement and into the wall of the kitchen,” Kapusta said.

New Baltimore Fire was requested for their Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST), Ravena Fire for an engine to the scene, Selkirk for a tanker and an engine to the scene, Coeymans for a tanker to standby and Elsmere to cover all calls in Selkirk.

Also on the scene was Ravena Rescue and Albany County Paramedics.

Kapusta says all homeowners made it outside safely. There were pet snakes and lizards that were taken outside by the homeowners. Firefighters helped the homeowners remove Christmas presents from the home to keep them away from the smoke damage.

There were no injuries reported at the scene.