A fire at a two-story home on Long Hill Road in Highland Mills claimed the life of a Hudson Valley man who lived and worked out of the home.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the body of the fire and then searched the home. The body of 47-year-old David Jessup was discovered during firefighters' exploration of the wreckage.
Investigators believe the fire may have been accidentally sparked in the man's basement workshop, where he did home remodeling and carpentry work. Cornwall Fire Chief Patrick Hines says investigators are trying to determine what kind of products Jessup kept in the workshop to see if they contributed to the fire.
According to Hines, the first firefighters on the scene had to be pulled out of the house due to the fire's intensity. They then attacked the flames from the outside. It took about an hour to get the fire under control.
Police say Jessup leaves behind a wife and two children. An investigation into the fire will continue.