Highland, NY, Firefighters Rescue Victim from House Fire

HIGHLAND, N.Y. — A person was rescued from a burning building on Vineyard Avenue on Friday, authorities said.

In a press release, Highland Fire Chief Jeffrey DiMetro said at 12:26 a.m. Friday, March 27, firefighters were dispatched to a reported house fire at 359 Vineyard Ave. in the hamlet. DiMetro said “heavy fire conditions” were reported on two sides of the building and that an occupant “was still inside the structure.”

Two other occupants were out of the building, DiMetro said, but emergency personnel had to rescue the person still trapped inside.

“Without protection of a handline, three HFD (Highland Fire District) members entered the first floor of the structure through a window, located the trapped occupant inside, and rescued the occupant,” DiMetro said.

DiMetro said firefighters provided “emergency medical care” to the occupant before they were transferred to the New Paltz Rescue Squad.

The fire was deemed under control at 1:56 a.m., DiMetro said. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Officials did not specify the identities of the three occupants of the building and did not say if they were hospitalized following the fire.

The Highland Fire District was assisted by the Poughkeepsie Fire Department, Milton Fire Department, Esopus Fire Department, New Paltz Fire Department, Clintondale Fire Department, the Lloyd Building Department, Lloyd police, Marlborough police, the New Paltz Rescue Squad, Ulster County Fire Investigation Unit, and Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp.

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