POUGHKEEPSIE – A man’s life was saved by Poughkeepsie firefighters early Wednesday morning. The fire at the 29 Roosevelt Avenue dwelling was reported at 2:51 a.m. with a caller telling dispatchers that a person was trapped on the second floor of the building.
Firefighters arrived just minutes after being dispatched and went to work to locate the victim and extinguish the fire. Poughkeepsie Fire Chief Mark Johnson said that his department was assisted at the scene by the neighboring Fairview and Arlington fire departments, along with medics from Mobile Life Support Services.
As the engine crews fought the flames on the second floor of the house, firefighters Matt Doherty and Ed Cefarelli, assigned to Tower Ladder 2, were raising their ladder to a window on the second floor. Doherty located the victim and was able to grab the man and pull him out through the window. The firefighters then turned the victim over to medics for treatment of smoke inhalation. The man was transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital for additional treatment.
Chief Johnson said that the fire was declared “under control” at 3:40 a.m. There was heavy damage to the second floor of the structure while the first floor sustained substantial fire and water damage. The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation.
Chief Johnson said that in addition to the fire departments at the scene, the Roosevelt and Highland departments relocated to Poughkeepsie firehouses to provide coverage to the city.
Four tenants, including the victim, were displaced as a result of the fire.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com