Firefighters rescue cats from house ablaze on Popham Road

Two beloved pets owe their lives to the bravery of our firefighting force.

BY DEBORAH SKOLNIK

An attic fire seems to have been sparked by damaged electric wires outside.

September 8th was a normal day for most of us, but unfortunately not for the residents of 22 Popham Road. At 4:21 p.m., the Scarsdale Fire Department was dispatched there after receiving a report of a house fire. “Our units were on scene within two minutes, and we observed fire showing from the attic of the front of the house,” says Fire Chief Christopher Mytych. “We I.D.’d that all [four] of the residents were outside and had evacuated.” Firefighters from neighboring towns also rushed to the scene.

But there was another concern: The homeowners’ two cats were unaccounted for. “Luckily, there was a hydrant right in front of the house, so we brought the hose line straight up to the attic from the interior. We had firefighters on the roof to cut holes and allow the heat and smoke to escape,” Chief Mytych recounts. Scouring the premises, they found the cats at the furthest point from the fire, spooked but unharmed. Thanks to the firefighters’ swift actions, the fire was under control in half an hour.

The home’s residents had called ConEd and a tree company prior to dialing 911, Chief Mytych said. “A very large bough of an evergreen had fallen on an electrical wire…we speculate it was basically that the wires were sparking. They didn’t fall, but they were under stress.” While our firefighters deserve the entire community’s thanks for expertly handling this dangerous situation, Chief Mytych also praises the home’s occupants for acting without delay. “We credit the residents for the rapid detection and notification of the fire department. They had working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,” he said. “That’s what we stress for any homeowners.”