A fast-moving house fire in rural Skaneateles displaced two people and killed two dogs Tuesday, heavily damaging a home on County Line Road.
Fire crews were dispatched at 12:11 p.m. to 2980 County Line Road after callers reported parts of the home engulfed in flames, according to Onondaga County 911 dispatches.
No one was home when the fire started, and no injuries were reported, Skaneateles Fire Department Chief Pete Buehler said. Two dogs were inside the home and died in the fire.
Firefighters from Skaneateles, Fleming, Moravia, and Owasco responded. Crews used an excavator to break through walls to reach the fire, and the roof collapsed shortly after crews arrived, according to dispatches. The fire spread quickly but was brought under control in about two hours.
The home suffered significant damage, Buehler said, and it was not immediately clear whether the house is a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The American Red Cross assisted the displaced residents at the scene.
County records show the three-bedroom home was built in 2002 on three acres and is assessed at $725,000.
In the aftermath, a GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to support the family affected by the fire. The fundraiser, organized by Jessica Garofalo, says her brother Tom Evans, his two children, and their family lost their belongings and pets in the blaze. It also says Evans’ 86-year-old mother, who lived in an in-law suite at the home, lost her residence and personal possessions.
The fundraiser notes the fire also destroyed business tools and equipment belonging to Evans, who owns a business, leaving the family facing immediate housing needs, basic living expenses, and loss of income as they begin to recover.
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