The Bridgehampton Fire Department, under the command of Chief Mark Balserus, and with mutual aid from Southampton, Hampton Bays, North Sea, Sag Harbor, East Hampton and Springs, fought a difficult fire in an 8,000-square-foot residence on West Pond Drive in Water Mill. A point-of-origin in the basement led to a collapse of the first floor, forcing exterior-only operations, chasing the fire through windows and doorways. Firefighters were on scene for almost 10 hours but, in spite of the sub-freezing temperatures hampering operations, there were no injuries, and members of the Southampton Town Fire Marshal’s Office were on scene to determine the fire’s cause and origin.
– Fire News photos by Michael Heller