Courtesy of the Tarrytown Patch
Krista Madsen

A fire that officials say started behind a Clinton Street multi-family home in Sleepy Hollow overnight sent flames up the height of the structure and left four families homeless.

There were no major injuries, reported Sleepy Hollow Fire Chief Billy Ryan, adding that some firefighters slipped and fell on the ice during the extinguishing effort that involved 50 firefighters from five departments.

Water run-off from their hoses was making a slippery sheen of black ice on the road and parking lot adjacent to the house.

Around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters and police responded to a call of a major blaze at 48 Clinton Street.

Fire departments on hand included: Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Valhalla, Briarcliff Manor with their cascade/scene lighting truck, Pocantico Hills, and Ossining on standby.

Within 45 minutes, Ryan said the blaze was under control. But at one point, responders described orange flames engulfing the entire rear of the house up to its roof.

"There was a heavy fire load in the rear affecting all the apartments and the attic," Ryan said.

For 15 minutes, Metro-North Railroad, whose tracks run just behind the house, shut down service.

There's a burnt dog kennel in the back of the house and a charred Humvee, along with a lot of machinery including welding equipment. By 1 a.m Thursday, the County Cause and Origin Team was in the debris-filled back yard investigating the cause of the fire.

"The dog is fine," reported Ryan.

Ryan said neighbors all took in the evacuated tenants of the home.

The scene was cleared by 1:30 a.m.

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