Fire That Killed 19-Year-Old Saugerties Firefighter Ruled Accidental

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) has made their ruling into the fatal fire that killed a 19-year-old Hudson Valley firefighter.

On December 19th, The Mount Marion Fire District responded to 11 Fel Qui Road in Woodstock for a chimney fire. During the battle with the blaze, 19-year-old Jack H. Rose, of Saugerties, was separated from his team. He was found, but became unresponsive and was later pronounced dead.

As part of the response to the fire, the Ulster County Fire Coordinator’s Office requested that the OFPC conduct the investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.

Fire Prevention and Control investigators and a canine accelerant detection team met with local and county officials and worked with the Ulster County Arson Task Force and Saugerties Police Department. Over a two-day period, OFPC examined the scene of the incident, conducted numerous interviews, and identified evidence relating to the origin of the fire and its cause.

After evaluating the physical structure, related fire damage, information provided to them, and testing various hypotheses, it was determined that the fire was accidental. OFPC Investigators say the fire involved the heating system, a wood stove, which was located along the south wall of the structure.

The events leading up to the death of Mount Marion Firefighter Captain Jack Rose is still under investigation. His cause of death has been determined to be as a result of inhaling super-heated gases. Officials say this lead to irreversible respiratory failure, and later cardiac arrest.

Saugerties Police Detectives and investigators from the State Department of Labor are continuing their investigation.