Fire Damages East Hampton House

Update, 3:30 p.m.: The inside of a house in Northwest Woods was damaged by fire on Monday afternoon, though firefighters quickly stopped it from spreading. 

A passerby who saw flames coming from inside 795 Hands Creek Road called the East Hampton Fire Department at about 12:30 p.m. When Gerry Turza, the first assistant chief, arrived there was "heavy fire" showing from the street. Bushes and a deck were ablaze, as well. It was unclear whether the fire began inside or outside, and Chief Turza declined to comment due to an investigation underway by the East Hampton Town fire marshal's office. 

Firefighters "made a very efficient, very aggressive attack," first from the outside, and then from the interior, to extinguish the fire. The two-story, wood-frame house was not occupied at the time, the chief said. Flames had just reached under the eaves of the roof, and firefighters stopped it just before it reached the top. 

About a quarter of the residence was heavily damaged by fire, Chief Turza said. The outside deck partially collapsed. The rest of the house has extensive smoke damage. 

Due to a shortage of public water in the area, the chief quickly called for tanker trucks from other departments from Montauk to Southampton. The nearest hydrant was 1,600 feet away from the house, he said. However, the fire was extinguished so quickly that the tankers weren't used. Also, he said, new water mains have just been installed on Hands Creek Road in the Clamshell area. 

Original, 1 p.m.: A fire broke out in a house in Northwest Woods in East Hampton on Monday afternoon, calling out several fire departments on the South Fork. 

The East Hampton Fire Department received a call about the house fire at 795 Hands Creek Road at about 12:30 p.m. A caller told dispatchers there were flames and it was blowing windows out. A column of smoke could be seen from Lazy Point in Amagansett. It was not clear whether the house was occupied. 

Gerry Turza, the second assistant fire chief, immediately called for neighboring departments, including Sag Harbor Fire Department's rapid intervention team, to stand by in case firefighters needed to be rescued, and for tankers from at least three other departments, as there were no nearby hydrants.