Ancram fire destroys home

ANCRAM — A structure fire destroyed a vacant home at 2540 State Route 82 on Dec. 23. Nobody was harmed during the blaze or as it was extinguished, according to a report from the New York State Police Troop K in Livingston, which aided firefighters dealing with the emergency.One trooper who was on the scene later reported that nobody was in or around the home, its adjacent garage or nearby pond when emergency personnel arrived at the scene, shortly after being dispatched at 2 p.m. The property’s owner, whose name has not yet been released, is reportedly deceased; the property is reportedly part of the man’s estate. The charred remains of the home sit near the intersection of Wiltsie Bridge Road and Route 82.Along with the state troopers and the Ancram Fire Department, fire departments from Hillsdale, Copake and Taghkanic responded and assisted in getting the full structure fire under control. While the precise origin has not yet been determined, the Columbia County Cause and Origin Team has stated that it does believe the cause was accidental, and not the result of criminal action, according to state police.One trooper from the scene said it took “a good couple of hours” to put the bulk of the fire out, and that rescue workers remained on the scene throughout much of the night to ensure sparks did not rekindle.