GUILDERLAND — Fire ravaged the back portion of a carefully tended single-story home on Veeder Road Tuesday. No one was injured.

The fire was called in at  6:17 p.m. by Jonathan Govel, a resident of the burned home, said Westmere Fire Chief Henry Smith.

It took about 15 minutes to get to the house, at  5983 Veeder Road, he said. “First, we made sure all the residents were out,” he said. “They were out when we got there.”

Smoke was billowing from the back of the house. “We didn’t have any issues with adjoining buildings,” said Smith. The house stands by itself, quite a ways from the road, with a wooded area behind it.

The first pumper that arrived on the scene held 750 gallons of water, which was sufficient to quell the flames, he said.

“We put out the fire with a two-and-a-half-inch handline,” said Smith. “It was out within 10 to 15 minutes,” Smith said.

Other fire departments that helped included McKownville; Guilderland; Fort Hunter, which brought its FAST (Firefighter Assist and Search Team) unit, dedicated to the search for and rescue of firefighters; and North Bethlehem, which brought its rehab team to check on the physical health of those fighting the fire.

“After the fire was out, the fire investigators came out to see about the cause,” said Smith. “It was possibly started by a propane tank.” The tank was located outside of the house, in back, he said.

“The bulk of the damage is in the rear,” he said. “When that much is involved with flames, it affects the interior. There was a lot of damage.” According to the Albany County assessment rolls, the house, which stands on 1.09 acres, had a full market value of $190,795.

Smith said the Red Cross, which provides temporary shelter for fire victims who have lost their homes,, was not called out.

“I wouldn’t think they were able to stay there,” he said of the family members continuing to live in their home. “They may have relatives.”
“I talked to my president about setting up a fundraiser for the family,” Smith said; details have not been worked out yet. Anyone interested in helping, he said, may contact the Westmere Fire Department at 1741 Western Ave. in Guilderland.