Pleasantville Home Built In 1890s Destroyed By Fire

PLEASANTVILLE, NY —A Pleasantville home built in the 1890s was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning. The damage was so extensive, the home had to be demolished, according to Chappaqua Fire Chief Russell Maitland. All three residents in the house at the time of the fire escaped unharmed.

Maitland said the need to demolish the home, located on Bedford Road, will make it difficult for investigators to determine the true cause of the fire. He said it remains "undetermined" whether the fire was an accident. According to Maitland, the age of the home made the task of fighting the fire difficult.

"The investigation is 'undetermined cause,' but it started on the exterior of the home," Maitland told Patch. "The balloon frame construction and terra cotta roof all made for a very challenging situation. It went from outside, to the inside wall and took off. By the time we got there, it was fully involved."

Crews from several local departments worked to put out the blaze, which Maitland said took about two hours just to get under control. It then took another few hours to "knock down hot spots." The Mount Pleasant Building Inspector gave the order to demolish what was left of the home.

"Everybody did their job, nobody got hurt," Maitland said. "Unfortunately, there is a significant property loss. But you can replace property, you can't replace people."

Matiland said the Chappaqua Fire Department and Pleasantville Fire Department were aided by: the Thornwood Fire Department, Millwood Fire Department, Mount Kisco Fire Department, Pleasantville EMS, Mount Kisco EMS, Westchester EMS, Westchester Battalion, Westchester Origin Team and the Mount Pleasant Police. The Armonk Fire Department was standing by at Chappaqua headquarters.