There was much about the September 15 fire at 10 Stable Way in Cornwall-on-Hudson that Cornwall-on-Hudson Fire Department Chief Mike Trainor called “nerve wracking”.

First, and maybe fortunately, it was a building familiar to the department – it was in December 2024 that COHFD, and mutual aid departments, were called to the same location for another structure fire.

Second, the house at 10 Stable Way was a large, mostly glass and steel structure with very unique design features. Fortunately, they knew immediately that it was unoccupied. Nearly as immediately, Trainor knew it was a building which was not going to be saved.

Third, Stable Way is a long road which does not have fire hydrants on it – the house sits about 1500 feet from Mountain Rd. That meant that the COHFD basically had to set up an above-ground water line, “basically an 1800 foot portable four-inch line”, that was continually filled with water supplied by a tanker shuttle. That ‘shuttle’ was created by mutual aid fire departments from as far as Maybrook and Garrison.

Fourth, because the house sits high on Storm King Mountain, it was a windy scene, so a brush fire broke out from blowing embers. Some of which were seen landing in the yards of homes on the Boulevard and Payson Road as reported by local residents and smoke seen from as far away as Amenia, Trainor said.

It was at approximately 4:35 p.m. that day when the department was dispatched to Stable Way, located in the Cornwall Heights section of the village for the reported structure fire. Chief Trainor and Assistant Chief Steve Calamari, first on the scene, had been told by the Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Department, already there, that there was a large volume of fire throughout the structure.

Based on the initial reports and the significant amount of smoke visible in the area, Trainor requested a second alarm and that Tanker Task Force due to the property’s location in a limited water supply area.

“Once Squad 411 and Tower Ladder 413 arrived on scene, firefighters initiated a defensive firefighting operation,” the department’s press release says. “Large-volume water streams were deployed from our squad and the aerial platform of the tower ladder to extinguish the majority of fire. Other COHFD apparatus on scene were Engine 412, Brush 414, Tanker 415.”

As mutual-aid resources arrived on scene, water-supply operations were established to support firefighting efforts. Those, Trainor said, were set up at two hydrants on Boulevard and at the bottom of Mountain Rd. Eventually, a second tanker task force was requested to maintain an adequate water supply for sustained fire suppression operations.

Trainor says the fire was placed under control at approximately 6 p.m. But, due to the extent of the fire, firefighters remained on scene throughout the evening and into September 16 to conduct extensive overhaul operations, ensure the fire was fully extinguished (“three stories of sheetrock, glass, wood and steel had collapsed in on itself – there were going to be hot spots,” Trainor said) and assist in maintaining the integrity of the scene for the ongoing investigation.

That investigation began immediately by not only Orange County’s fire inspectors, but the Hudson Valley Arson Task Force, a joint agency of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Orange County District Attorney’s office. The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation, but as of Friday, there was no indication of foul play.

On Friday, Trainor also warned everyone to stay away from the scene: “The COHFD reminds the public that the property has been deemed unsafe and uninhabitable by the Cornwall-on-Hudson Building Department. Members of the public are asked to remain clear of the property and to respect all posted barriers and restrictions.”

Trainor also took a minute to thank all who were involved with the situation.

“We extend our sincere thanks to Mayor James Kane, our mutual-aid partners, particularly the NY Air Guard Fire Department stationed at Stewart Airport, who responded back to the scene on Wednesday morning with their 4000 gallon tanker to further assist the department, and the community members who provided assistance and support throughout this operation,” he said. “He also praised his firefighters – they always do an outstanding job.”

Mutual aid response came from: Cornwall Fire Department (Ladder and Tanker), Fort Montgomery Fire Department (Tanker), Highland Falls Fire Department (Engine), New Windsor Fire Department (Engine), Maybrook Fire Department Fire Department (Tanker), Monroe Fire Department (Tanker), Salisbury Mills Fire Department (Pumper Tanker), Stewart Air National Guard Fire Department (Tanker), Vails Gate Fire Department (Engine), Washingtonville Fire Department (Pumper Tanker and Squad), West Point Fire Department (F.A.S.T), Continental Village Fire Department (Tanker), South Blooming Grove Fire Department (Standby Engine), Vails Gate Fire Department (Standby Tower Ladder), Cornwall-on-Hudson Building, Police and Water Departments, New Windsor/Cornwall EMS, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Orange County Department of Emergency Services, Division of Emergency Communications (36-6, 36-14, 36-101 and 36-103) and the Hudson Valley Arson and Explosives Task Force.

One firefighter, from New Windsor, suffered a minor hand injury at the scene.