Calamity Averted in Mahopac

Firefighters attack the blaze on Split Rock Road in Mahopac late Saturday night. Eric Gross Seamus O’Hanlon looked out his living room window and thought he was dreaming.

On Saturday night the resident of Split Rock Road in Mahopac saw flames inside his neighbor’s home across the street. O’Hanlon grabbed his cell phone, bolted out the door, and ran to the burning home and began pounding on the front door of the Christopher Kane residence. At the same time, he called 911 and reported a working fire.

Carmel Police and members of the Mahopac Fire Department were summoned. O’Hanlon kept on banging on the door, and when he received no response, he ran to the rear of the home, which was a ball of fire and attempted to alert the occupants.

As he went to the front door of the home a second time, the owner’s son and his girlfriend emerged in a state of disorientation, since authorities said the couple had been sleeping when the blaze broke out shortly before 10pm.

Two occupants of this house owe their lives to firefighters and an alert next-door neighbor. ERIC GROSS Emergency responders found flames shooting from the windows of the one-story wood frame dwelling located atop a steep hill less than summoned mutual aid; the Mahopac Falls, Putnam Valley, and Brewster Fire Departments sent manpower and equipment to the scene.

Firefighters extinguished the inferno before the house was destroyed, however the dwelling received massive fire and smoke damage and was deemed uninhabitable.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire which was not termed suspicious remains under investigation by the Putnam County Fire Investigation Team.

Also assisting at the scene was Putnam Deputy Emergency Coordinator James Ciulla, members of the Mahopac FD Fire Police, and a repr esentative of the Putnam Bureau of Emergency Services. Firefighters remained at the scene until 1:30am Sunday.