(Photo provided by the Cortlandville Fire Department).
Local firefighters responded to a late-night house fire, according to a release.
The release noted that City of Cortland firefighters were called to a reported kitchen fire at a residence on Park Street around 11:20 p.m. Thursday. Upon arrival, firefighters saw a visible fire from the kitchen window.
Crews began to extinguish the fire in the first-floor kitchen area, the report stated. After crews verified that all individuals in the house were out and accounted for, it was discovered that the fire traveled into the walls to the upper floor.
The report noted that the fire led to an “All Hands” assignment. The majority of the fire was put out in 10 minutes, but small fires in the walls and roofline on the first floor continued to be extinguished.
“Difficulty gaining access through parts of the structure made overhaul and full fire extinguishment difficult and manpower intensive,” City fire chief Wayne Friedman said.
Overall, the fire was out within 40 minutes, the report noted. No injuries were reported in terms of house occupants or firefighter crews.
According to the report, the cause of the fire was deemed accidental, involving cooking on the kitchen stove. The report continued by saying the Park Street house suffered “some significant smoke, fire and water damage” and “could not be reoccupied.” The American Red Cross assisted with housing.
About 25 firefighters were on scene. All units cleared the area at 4 a.m. Friday.
The Cortlandville Fire Department provided assistance on scene and the Homer Fire Department stood by at its station in the event other alarms came in for the city. The city police department, TLC Ambulance, National Grid and NYSEG were also on scene.
