by Doug La Rocque
Stephentown Firefighters were called out in the early morning hours on Tuesday, December 14, to battle a structure fire at 116 Knapps Road, just east of the NYS Routes 43 and 22 intersection. According to Rensselaer County Director of Public Safety Jay Wilson, the Knapps awoke to find a fire in the wall near a wood stove. They managed to escape safely, but a deputy with the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office who tried to knock the fire down was sent to an area hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. He was treated and released.
A lack of water once again hampered the firefighting efforts. Volunteers from Hancock and New Ashford, MA joined those from Stephentown, New Lebanon, Hoag’s Corners and Tsatsawassa as well as the Stephentown and Taconic Valley ambulances at the scene.
Monetary donations for the family are currently being accepted — cash or checks made out to Debbie Knapp. They can be mailed to the Stephentown Memorial Library or simply dropped off.
