Westerlo fire destroys home

Thursday, February 7, 2019 - 19:51

WESTERLO — A Saturday morning fire in Westerlo that likely started from electric space heaters destroyed a home on Route 406.

The homeowners escaped uninjured to relatives living nearby, said Tom Diedrich, chief of the Westerlo Volunteer Fire Company.

The company was called to the scene at 9:21 a.m. Saturday, said Tom Diedrich. When firefighters arrived, the house was fully involved, he said.

The crew knocked down the blaze within 15 minutes but remained at the scene for several hours. They were assisted by the Coeymans Hollow and Greenville fire companies, said Diedrich.

The house, which was less than 500 square feet in area, was mostly destroyed by the fire and is no longer habitable, said Diedrich. A preliminary investigation indicates that it was an electrical fire caused by heaters used in the house, he said.

The property, located at 244 Route 406, has a full market value of $50,000, according to Albany County assessment roles.

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