Bronxville Home Sustains Minimal Damage After Fire

Eastchester firefighters responded to a report of a possible attic fire at 35 Prescott Avenue just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

According to fire chief Michael Grogan, the fire may have started from work being done on the exterior of the home.

"It looks like the painters in the process of stripping the paint were using heat guns–they're like an extremely hot blow dryer–they generate enough heat that if left in the one spot too long will start to burn the wood," he said.

And the dry wood in the house, which Grogan estimates to be somewhere around 120 years old, coupled with possible dry rot can easily ignite, he said.

"It probably ignited up in the bay, beyond where they were actually working," he said. He noted that the men working outside probably didn't even realize the fire had started.

There was minimal fire and water damage, which was confined to one small room on the third floor, Grogan said. Firefighters had to open the ceiling to access the burning since it was in the bay, below the roof but above the ceiling, he said.

The homeowner, who called to report the fire, was home at the time. There were no injuries reported.

Four fire engines and two trucks from the Eastchester Fire Department were on scene, as was EVAC.