Fire Engulfs Building in Haverstraw

On Sunday May 3rd, at 11:21pm, the West Haverstraw Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at 29 Samsondale Ave. Upon arrival, members encountered a fully involved commercial building. 

WHFD Chief Jose Mulero, the incident commander, stated “We had heavy fire throughout the structure upon arrival and the members went to work fighting this fire from multiple vantage points. We knew we were working with an already unstable structure since this building, which has been abandoned for over 20 years, had partially collapsed into itself over time. The building was fenced in years ago due to the hazard it created with the multiple sections of collapsed roof and interior walls, prior to this fire. Additional interior and exterior walls also collapsed while members worked to extinguish this fire.”

Approximately 100 firefighters operated at this fire for just over 9  hours. The CSX rail line, whose trains run in close proximity to this building’s east side, was temporarily halted so firefighters could establish, and work from, the building’s entire perimeter.

Chief Mulero stated, “I want to thank my members, and our mutual aid members from the Stony Point, Haverstraw, Thiells, Hillcrest, West Nyack, Valley Cottage, Monsey, New City, & Congers fire departments, and the fire coordinators from the Rockland County Office of Fire & Emergency Services for their assistance, the Haverstraw, Stony Point, and Spring Hill Ambulance Corps. The Town of Haverstraw Police Department’s drone unit who worked in conjunction with the WHFD’s drone unit to provide aerial overviews of the fire to aid in tactical decisions.”

No firefighters or civilians were injured while operating at this alarm. The Rockland County Sheriffs Department’s Arson Investigation Unit is working in conjunction with the HTPD Detective Unit, in conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unknown at this time.