NEW ROCHELLE, NY — An elderly man smoking in bed caused a mattress fire early this morning at a house located at 291 Lincoln Avenue in New Rochelle, just two houses away from a massive structure fire 6 weeks ago.
The fire department was called to the secne at about 6:30 a.m. and by 7:00 a.m. had the fire under control.
Three other family members including an elderly woman self-evacuated as police arrived on the scene and pulled the man out of the smoke-filled room moments before the room burst into flames, said New Rochelle Deputy Fire Chief John Reed.
“We don’t recommend that,” said Reed of the officers rushing into a house on fire. “They were lucky, with their clothing they would not survive those flames.”
The man was taken to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital in good condition.
The fire was contained to the second-floor of the two-story single-family house and was brought under control within minutes of the call to the fire department. The rest of the house suffered significant smoke and water damage rendering the house uninhabitatble. The Red Cross was called to the scene.
Reed said there was heavy smoke but no injuries were reported.
