Yonkers firefighters battle blaze amid dangerous heat
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, but the extreme heat, combined with the fire's own heat, made conditions extremely difficult for crews.
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Yonkers firefighters battled a house fire Wednesday in sweltering heat and humidity, but thanks to their hard work, everyone escaped safely and the home appears to be intact.
The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m., in the middle of the day when the sun was at its hottest. Crews were called to the house on Grassy Sprain Road after receiving reports of smoke billowing from an attic window.
Emergency personnel say the fire likely started in an exterior gutter before spreading into the attic. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, but the extreme heat, combined with the fire's own heat, made conditions extremely difficult for crews.
"The heat is a problem," said Yonkers Fire Chief Michael Hanney. "You have temperatures like this and you are trying to carry equipment into the structure, it gets difficult."
The intense heat forced firefighters to rotate crews frequently to ensure their safety, especially with the heavy coats, boots, and pants they wear.
Investigators are now working to determine the cause of the fire.
