Fire melted the siding on the adjacent house

MIDDLETOWN – Fire late Friday night destroyed a 2 ½ story house a 183 Linden Avenue in Middletown. All five family members who lived there escaped, but the home and all of their belongings were destroyed.

The family, a grandmother, mother and three adult children, were staying with a neighbor on Saturday, said Mayor Marlinda Duncanson. The Red Cross also provided support Friday night.

The fire was a three-alarm blaze which brought out all of Middletown’s fire companies as well as Goshen and Mechanicstown. The siding on the house to the right melted from the intense heat.

Firefighters had some difficulty putting the fire out as two fire hydrants closest to the house were frozen when the valves were turned on. Firefighters had to connect to hydrants further away. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The mayor is holding a clothing drive for the victims with items to be dropped off at the Central Firehouse or the mayor’s office at City Hall at 16 James Street.

Needed women’s clothing includes tops sizes 5XL and XL. Pants sizes include 14, 16 and 18 pants. Men’s clothes include size 48 pants and 2XL tops.