A fast-moving structure fire at 5 South Monsey Road near Christmas Hill Road Tuesday afternoon quickly escalated into a 3rd-alarm blaze, drawing a massive response from Tallman Fire Department and mutual aid from fire departments across Rockland County and beyond. The fire broke out at approximately 5:50 PM, with heavy flames and thick smoke rapidly engulfing the home. At one point, a large fireball was seen blowing through the roof as firefighters worked aggressively to contain the blaze.
After more than two hours of intense firefighting efforts, the fire was officially brought under control at approximately 8:00 PM. A total of 12 Rockland County fire departments responded, along with dozens of firefighters, law enforcement, and EMS personnel operating on scene.
Mutual aid was provided by South Spring Valley, West Nyack, West Haverstraw, Suffern, Spring Valley, Sloatsburg, Hillburn, Hillcrest, Monsey, Central Nyack Fire Departments, as well as departments from Ramsey, NJ and Mahwah, NJ. Also assisting at the scene were Chaverim of Rockland, Ramapo Police, Monsey Fire Department’s RAC Unit, Faist EMS, and Rockland Paramedics.
Officials confirmed that all occupants were safely evacuated, though the home sustained devastating damage. Firefighters also faced difficult conditions inside the structure, including reported hoarder conditions in the basement, which complicated suppression efforts.
Later in the evening, as crews cleared the scene, volunteers from Chaverim of Rockland were seen carefully removing valuable and sacred items from the home, including tefillin, mezuzos, and other belongings that were salvaged despite the extensive destruction.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
theres also ramsey and mahwah ladder 2 and engine 1
I’m Thomas Slinn and my family lived here for about 50yrs, (late 20’s thru 1986) this is breaking my heart to see this old friend destroyed. It was our home for a long time with deep ties, it was the best place to grow up, Greenhouses, barns, horses, apple orchard, daffodil fields. The original cast iron store and kitchen were downstairs, and it had a dumb waiter to bring the food to the main floor (we didn’t use it).
The porch used to go all the way around the house but in the late 30’s my grandfather enclosed the back porch to make the Kitchen, Sunroom, and Bathroom.
During the WW2, my grandfather made 3 apartments, one on each floor, for the young wives of my uncles and my mom they would all be together while the men were at war.
I got married in 1985 in front of the big stone fireplace in the lower level………………
I have so many stories and the memories are flooding back as I write this. It’s way too much to type………..
This is truly breaking my heart……
On the downstairs lower porch, back on the corner is a fieldstone, corner stone that has “1800” etched into it. If the home is going to be destroyed for some unattractive shelter, I would like to have that stone to pass down through my family. Please contact me through the email below, thank you so much