Firefighters: Smoke Detector Alerts Nyack Residents to Early-Morning Fire

The alarm from a smoke detector probably saved the lives of an estimated 15 people living in a two-family home on Midland Avenue in Nyack where a small fire broke out this morning, according to Nyack volunteer firefighters.

Nyack Fire Chief Robert Booth said a lit cigarette left on a windowsill is believed to have caused the fire, which burned the windowsill and got into a wall at the home at 70 S. Midland Ave., near the corner of DePew Avenue.

Booth said a smoke detector in the home alerted one of the residents to the fire at about 4:50 a.m. Booth said about 15 people living in the home were evacuating the structure as Nyack firefighters arrived.

Booth said all of the residents of the two units in the home escaped without injury and the fire was put out in about 10 minutes. Booth said firefighters had to tear open the wall in one room of the home to get at the fire. However, Booth said residents were able to return to the home when firefighters completed their operations in about an hour.

Booth said that from the burn marks visible in the house he believes the fire was smoldering overnight. He said a resident of the house had put the lit cigarette on the windowsill and then fell asleep.

About 50 Nyack volunteer firefighters responded to the fire. Booth said no firefighters were injured.

Correction: An earlier version of this story, based on reports from people present at the scene, noted 30 people were living in the home. Vincent Fiorentino, Nyack's fire inspector, later reported 15 was a more accurate number. The story has been updated.