SOUTH FALLSBURG –– The Fallsburg Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at 5218 Main Street and Route 42 in South Fallsburg at 3:17 a.m. Sunday morning.

Due to heavy smoke conditions and possible entrapment, a second alarm then brought Woodridge and Monticello to the scene as well.

According to the Fallsburg Fire Department (FD), as those units were arriving on scene, they were met with a wall of fire, shooting from the front of the two-store structure. Due to the limited amount of water in the Town of Fallsburg, multiple neighboring departments were called in with tankers and engines to provide water and manpower.

The Fallsburg FD said that a draft site was established with two engines, continuously filling tankers, as well as an engine drafting from the bridge, feeding the scene using a large diameter hose. Two aerial trucks were used to finally bring the fire under control, and an excavator was called in.

“Because of their quick action and bravery, the Fallsburg Police Department saved multiple lives and aided residents to safety from the second floor apartments,” said the Fallsburg FD, who added that no firefighters were injured, and one civilian bystander was transported by Mobilemedic EMS.

Route 42, near the scene, was closed for several hours on Sunday because of the blaze. The fire rekindled yesterday morning, but there were no details as of presstime.

Assisting the Fallsburg FD on scene Sunday were fire companies/departments from Woodridge, Monticello, Rock Hill, Loch Sheldrake, Hurleyville, Liberty, Kauneonga Lake, White Lake, Forestburgh, Swan Lake, Hortonville, Roscoe, White Sulphur Springs, Circleville, Silver Lake FAST, Walker Valley FAST and Napanoch FAST. On standby were Woodbourne, Livingston Manor, Mountaindale, Wurtsboro, Port Jervis, Highland Lake, Callicoon and Lumberland.

Also helping at the scene were Hatzolah EMS, Mobilemedic EMS, Town of Fallsburg PD, the New York State Police, Red Cross, Sullivan County E911 and EMS Coordinator Alex Rau, Sullivan County Rehab Team, Sullivan County Fire Investigators, BC-3 Jack Halchak, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild, the Orange and Ulster County Deputy Fire Coordinators, NYSEG, Town of Fallsburg DPW and Water Departments, New York Department of Transportation, Town of Fallsburg Code Enforcement and Verizon.