Fire guts Water and Highway Building, destroys vehicles, tools

MILLERTON — On Feb. 3, a fire broke out in the early hours of the morning at the Village Water and Highway building, located on Route 22. By 3:41 a.m., sirens went off in the village, alerting first responders to the blaze, the cause of which still remains under investigation.

The fire, which resulted in a state of emergency being declared for the village around six o’clock in the morning, destroyed all but the building’s cinder block walls. It decimated highway vehicles, equipment and tools.

In a phone call with the News on Feb. 9, Millerton police chief Joseph Olenik confirmed several highway vehicles were lost in the blaze, but did not have specifics on the exact number of damaged vehicles at press time.

According to mayor Jenn Najdek, there were no injuries. “We’re grateful for that,” she said. “The rest is stuff which can be replaced.”
While Najdek wades through the insurance claims process, she moves forward with experience, having lost her own home in a fire. She confirmed the structure will be rebuilt as the space is needed for both the highway department and the water building.

The village’s wells are situated on the property, and Najdek was quick to point out the safety and sufficiency of the village’s water supply. Samples have been repeatedly taken for quality assurance purposes, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as the Board of Health have greenlit the village’s water supply.

Najdek also pointed out that, despite the devastation to the structure, the water system remained functional and properly chlorinated with the aid of a temporary system involving well #1, and drinking water was continuously fit for human consumption.
While the rebuilding process will take time, Najdek is heartened by the response to the fire, not just from the Millerton community but also from the region.

“Every municipality has stepped up. The Town of North East did a great job of assisting with plowing,” she said, explaining trucks from the township cleared snow from village streets in the early hours of the morning of the fire, lifting one burden. The Town of East Fishkill also assisted by providing an engineer that day to guide village water operators in creating solutions through a provisional system which enabled the water supply to run safely and without interruption.

Najdek conveyed gratitude to the responders, thanking the Millerton Fire Company, the North East Fire District, and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office. She remains grateful as well to the Dutchess County Department of Public Works who loaned two trucks — one with a plow and sander and another equipped only with a plow. Additional assistance in battling the blaze and aiding in its aftermath was provided by the fire departments of Amenia, Sharon, Pine Plains, Copake, Wassaic, Falls Village, the Dutchess County Emergency Response, the Dutchess County Fire Investigation Division, and the New York State Police.

North East town supervisor Chris Kennan emphasized the importance of unity as the village regroups from the fire. He also credited the North East Fire District for their quick action.

“I’m glad we were able to help. We’re so grateful to them for being on the scene … They did a wonderful job,” Kennan said. He noted that while the village and the township are separate entities, the common cause is what matters most. “We are two governments”, said Kennan, “and one community.”