Four local fire departments braved frigid temperatures and fierce winds after today’s blizzard as they battled a working fire at a Main Road residence in Southold that left its occupants homeless.
The occupants of the two story wood-frame residence were all safely evacuated, Southold First Assistant Chief Jim Rich said. But the home was gutted and uninhabitable after the blaze.
The blaze was likely started by a wood-burning stove, Southold Fire Chief Peggy Killian said. The fire spread quickly up through the walls to the second story of the 100-year-old home because the home construction included no fire breaks. Firefighters were on scene within a minute and a half of the alarm, Killian said.
More than 100 volunteer firefighters responded to the call, which came in just before 2:15 p.m.,in frigid temperatures and blowing winds.
“These are obviously very difficult conditions for fighting a fire,” Rich said.
Tenants who live in the home stood outside watching in disbelief as firefighters did their work. Nixon Antonio Catalan Velize, a tenant, had tears in his eyes as he said he was out of the house when the fire started, helping a woman shovel her driveway. He added that he’d lost everything he had in the blaze and had no idea how he’d start over. He planned to spend the night with his brother in Greenport, and was led from the scene with a pair of jeans he managed to salvage from the smoking structure.
Another tenant, Edgar Ochoa, was inside when the fire broke out. He said it was frightening. “I was very scared,” he said. A woman and her small child, who also live there, escaped uninjured as well, Ochoa said.
Southold, Mattituck, Greenport and Cutchogue Fire Departments responded to the blaze.
Main Road was closed to traffic in both directions between Peconic Lane and Ackerly Pond Lane, according to Suffolk County FRES. A state of emergency was still in place in Southold at the time of the fire.
The Suffolk County arson squad came out to investigate, Killian said.
SoutholdLOCAL photos by Lisa Finn.
