NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Two New Rochelle firefighters were injured Friday night battling a structure fire on Petersville Road said NRFD Deputy Fire Chief Scott Bradley. The location was 100 yards from Holy Name Church.
One firefighter fell down stairs. Another was overcome by heat exhaustion. Both were take to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital. This according to Bradley.
The fire may be the result of illegal electrical work done by contractors who were on scene when the fire started.
“We had heavy smoke on arrival,” said Bradley. “It looked like fire was in the wall.”
“It was a stubborn fire, we had to do a lot of opening up, opening up the roof,” said Bradley. “We got it under control in and about an hour, hour and a half.”
The homeowners were not present. Workers inside the home at the time of the fire got out on their own. The house is not inhabitable.
Officials from the New Rochelle Buildings Bureau were on scene and interviewed the workers. Building inspectors had previously raised concerns that work was going on at the house without permits.
Yonkers and White Plains responded to mutual aid calls.