Overnight House Fire Claims a Life in Middletown

A devastating overnight fire in Orange County, NY, has left one person dead and several first responders injured.

First responders rushed to a home on Starhaven Avenue in Middletown, NY, just before 1 a.m. on Saturday, April 4th, after receiving reports of a structure fire.

Fatal Fire in Middletown, NY

The call came in at 12:51 AM, with units from the City of Middletown Fire Department arriving on the scene within approximately one minute. Upon arrival, crews were immediately met with heavy fire conditions and had to call for a second alarm because of how intense the flames were, according to the City of Middletown Fire Department.

As firefighters worked to get the fire under control, they made a heartbreaking discovery.

Victim Found Inside Home

An adult victim was found inside the home. Responders were able to remove the individual and quickly begin emergency medical care, but tragically, the victim did not survive. Their name has not yet been released as officials work to notify family members.

Several First Responders Injured

In addition to the fatality, multiple first responders were hurt during the incident.

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Three firefighters were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Two Middletown police officers were also taken to Garnet Medical Center after suffering from smoke inhalation.

Crews were able to get the fire under control in about an hour, but remained on scene until around 4 a.m. as they worked through cleanup and began investigating what caused the blaze.

What Caused the Fire?

Investigators say the preliminary cause of the fire appears to be an overloaded power strip. The investigation into the fire is ongoing. When more information is available, we will update this article.

Power Strips Can Be Dangerous

Even though the investigation isn’t finished, this is a tough reminder of how quickly something as small as a power strip can turn into a tragedy.

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Always remember that overloading or plugging in too many things that draw a lot of electricity into a power strip can create a serious fire risk.