Residents escape, but Milan home made uninhabitable by fire

MILAN, N.Y. >> A house on this Northern Dutchess town was rendered uninhabitable when a fire burned through an exterior wall and the roof shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday, according to a Milan fire official.

The Milan Fire Department and Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene of what was reported to be a possible chimney fire, said Jeffrey Galm, second assistant chief of the fire Department.

Galm said Fire Chief Kurt Mizgier was first to arrive and found flames had broken through an exterior wall and the roof. A second alarm was issued and brought resources from three nearby fire departments, Galm said.

Three residents of the house and a cat got out safely.

The fire was contained to an upstairs bedrooms and the attic and roof, but there was water damage to rest of the structure, Galm said.

The residents were aided by the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire was under investigation but was not considered suspicious, Galm said.