Millwood House Fire Started By Faulty Electrical Panel: Chief

MILLWOOD, NY —Local fire officials said a house fire Saturday night in Millwood started because of a faulty electrical panel, and that it was accidental. Four people were in the home when the fire was first reported about 11:35 p.m., and all escaped unharmed.

Speaking Monday, Millwood Fire Chief Chris Raguso said the blaze at 6 Lakeview Road in Millwood, with an Ossining address, began in the garage, which was destroyed. The chief said the rest of the house is currently uninhabitable, but can be repaired.

According to the Millwood Fire Co., departments from Millwood, Briarcliff Manor, the Ossining FASTeam and Mount Kisco were on the scene to fight what Raguso described as a one-alarm fire. Ambulances from Chappaqua and Pleasantville also were called to the scene, according to Hudson Valley NY Incidents, though neither was put to use. A handful of other fire departments were put on standby, with Montrose eventually being called to take part in overhaul.

Raguso told Patch it took the team about 30 minutes to put out the fire, though authorities were on the scene for three hours working on overhaul. The chief said multiple departments teamed up for a successful operation.

"(The collaboration) worked great. It really worked great. We were there for a job, and we did it," Raguso said. "Several different communities helped, and that includes the departments that were on standby."