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(Rye-WABC, June 15, 2004) -- A deadly fire in Rye causes a a couple to loses their life in a fast-moving blaze.
The fast moving fire broke out early this morning quickly trapping the couple inside. It happened at their home on Mayfield Road.
Both the buildings department and the fire department have been at this location recently to cite the couple that lived in the building for clutter and the fire department helped clear out that clutter. However, the fire chief said it probably has accumulated since then and made it impossible to get inside.
The view from Newscopter 7 shows how damaging the fire became, fueled the Rye fire department says by newspapers and other combustible items stacked in every room from the floor to the ceiling.
Clifford Jaeger, Neighbor: "We saw the flames coming out of the side of the house when we looked through the bedroom window. We got outside and just sat and watched it burn."
They were recluse. Their next-door neighbor of 30 years said they only left the house the couple shared to groceries and visit the doctor. One was wheelchair bound and her husband Frank Cousamante was devoted to taking care of her.
Jaeger: "He was a rat-packer. He wouldn't throw nothing away. They were nice and pleasant people."
The Rye fire department chief was first on the scene and suffered from heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation while battling the blaze. He had to be hospitalized.
Assistant Chief John Wickerham, Rye Fire: "They did get in to begin with, they were just driven out with it after they entered. It went to an outside firefight because the building was fully engulfed."
Firefighters had a tough time navigating through the house. Many of the doors were blocked shut by a stack of boxes and the couple was trapped upstairs.
Wickerham: "I couldn't see them getting out. The fire spread very rapidly."
Frank Cousamonte was 82-years-old and his wife, Adrienne was 70-years-old. They met when she was a Brooklyn teacher was visiting Italy and he was their Italian tour guide. Chief Peter Connor was taken to Greenwich Hospital however his son was on the scene and says his father is doing well. They are still investigating the cause of this blaze.
