Third Home In Week Burns In Middletown

MARGARETVILLE — A third house was lost to fire in a week’s time in the Town of Middletown when flames destroyed a home off East Hubbell Hill Road, Margaretville on Saturday, Nov. 18,

Firefighters were summoned to the blaze at 1:43 a.m. When volunteers arrived 15 minutes later, the two-story house at 90 Casale Lane was fully involved in flames. Two occupants and a dog were able to escape unharmed after they were alerted by a smoke alarm. The home was owned by David and Deanna Kirk. The Red Cross has been contacted to assist.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire that was discovered early in the morning on Saturday, Nov. 18 off East Hubbell Hill Road, Margaretville.

Margaretville Fire Chief Nelson Delameter said the main part of the fire was knocked down in about a half-hour. He reported that the fire had too large of a head start and the house was a total loss. Volunteers were called back to scene to extinguish a rekindle about 8 a.m.

“Firefighters did pretty well with the initial attack,” Chief Delameter commented.

He said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Only a portion of this home on East Hubbell Hill Road, Margaretville was left standing after a devastating fire that broke out on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Firefighters from Margaretville, Halcottsville, Arkville, Fleischmanns and Roxbury responded to the scene. Volunteers from the Bovina Fire Department set up a water supply and Arena firefighters were alerted for standby assistance.

In an eerie coincidence, the Margaretville Chief said a fire five days earlier on Taco Lane leveled a home about 500 yards from Saturday’s blaze.