Grant
Administrator
CARMEL-An inferno has destroyed one of Putnam's most popular fast food restaurants.
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Wendy's at the Putnam Plaza in Carmel became a ball of flame Saturday shortly after a grease-fire erupted in the kitchen area of the restaurant off Route 6.
Three employees were inside at the time and when the fire broke out, they ran outside and called 911. Deputy Sheriff Luigi Osso was in the area and arrived seconds later. He attempted to extinguish the blaze with two portable fire extinguishers but was unable to do so. In the interim, the Putnam 911 Center summoned the Carmel Fire Department. Chief Robert Lipton sounded a general alarm and requested mutual aid from the Mahopac, Brewster, Lake Carmel, Kent and Patterson Departments.
Lipton and his assistant chiefs Daryl Johnson who assumes the rank of chief on January 1 and assistant chief Mark Earle led an interior attack but as soon as firefighters observed the flames above their heads, they withdrew fearing a roof collapse and fought the inferno from above with tower ladder trucks from Carmel and Mahopac.
Chief Lipton said the fire was caused by an explosion in the area of a French fry cooker. "Grease fires are the worst," he said.
Firefighters poured thousands of gallons of water on the blaze until flames were knocked down. Despite the heroic efforts on the part of the fire crews, the building was a total loss.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Putnam County Fire Investigation Team, Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Carmel Fire Police team, Putnam Commissioner of Emergency Services Robert McMahon, Deputy Emergency Coordinators Michael Hengel and Doug Casey, members of the Carmel Police Department, Putnam Sheriff's Department and New York State Electric and Gas Company.
The fire broke out at 7:47 a.m. when the shopping center was virtually empty except for a few patrons seeking a morning cup of coffee. By 9:30 a.m., when shoppers went to the center to make holiday purchases, they were shocked by what they observed.
"What a shame!" said Patti Wilbur of Kent. For Marion Bellesheim of Carmel, "Wendy's is a real loss. I love the place. The food is so good especially those baked potatoes. I hope they rebuild real soon," she said.
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Wendy's at the Putnam Plaza in Carmel became a ball of flame Saturday shortly after a grease-fire erupted in the kitchen area of the restaurant off Route 6.
Three employees were inside at the time and when the fire broke out, they ran outside and called 911. Deputy Sheriff Luigi Osso was in the area and arrived seconds later. He attempted to extinguish the blaze with two portable fire extinguishers but was unable to do so. In the interim, the Putnam 911 Center summoned the Carmel Fire Department. Chief Robert Lipton sounded a general alarm and requested mutual aid from the Mahopac, Brewster, Lake Carmel, Kent and Patterson Departments.
Lipton and his assistant chiefs Daryl Johnson who assumes the rank of chief on January 1 and assistant chief Mark Earle led an interior attack but as soon as firefighters observed the flames above their heads, they withdrew fearing a roof collapse and fought the inferno from above with tower ladder trucks from Carmel and Mahopac.
Chief Lipton said the fire was caused by an explosion in the area of a French fry cooker. "Grease fires are the worst," he said.
Firefighters poured thousands of gallons of water on the blaze until flames were knocked down. Despite the heroic efforts on the part of the fire crews, the building was a total loss.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Putnam County Fire Investigation Team, Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Carmel Fire Police team, Putnam Commissioner of Emergency Services Robert McMahon, Deputy Emergency Coordinators Michael Hengel and Doug Casey, members of the Carmel Police Department, Putnam Sheriff's Department and New York State Electric and Gas Company.
The fire broke out at 7:47 a.m. when the shopping center was virtually empty except for a few patrons seeking a morning cup of coffee. By 9:30 a.m., when shoppers went to the center to make holiday purchases, they were shocked by what they observed.
"What a shame!" said Patti Wilbur of Kent. For Marion Bellesheim of Carmel, "Wendy's is a real loss. I love the place. The food is so good especially those baked potatoes. I hope they rebuild real soon," she said.