Hilltown Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, July 1, 2010
Collection taken to help family after mobile home burns on Berne-Westerlo border
By Zach Simeone
WESTERLO — A fire at the Leaning Evergreen trailer park on Route 85 in Berne brought in both of the town’s fire departments, as well as Westerlo’s.
According to Peter Becker, Berne’s fire district chief, the Berne and East Berne fire departments were called at about 5 p.m. on Sunday to respond to the trailer fire. The fire was extinguished in 20 to 30 minutes, but they stayed until about 8:30 p.m. to make sure it was out, he said.
“It started in the living room and kitchen,” Becker said of the fire. “I’m not sure if the home is a total loss.”
Becker went on to say that one firefighter was hospitalized for heat exhaustion, and was treated and released that night. He declined to name the firefighter, or to name the family whose home caught fire.
Becker did not know the cause of the fire. The Albany County Sheriff’s Department was called to the scene, but the investigator handling the case could not be reached for comment on the cause.
The Westerlo Volunteer Fire Company was called to the scene as well, as the trailer park lies on the line between Berne and Westerlo.
“They never dumped any loads of water; they were just standing by,” said Westerlo firefighter Eric Dutton, referring to Westerlo’s fire department. “Thank God they didn’t have to use it.”
An American Red Cross volunteer responded to the scene, providing aid for food, clothing, and bedding, according to a release from the Red Cross.
There are donation cans for the family at the Mobil station on Route 156 in East Berne, Becker said.