A fire Friday caused severe damage to a residence in Orange County.

Witnesses reported significant smoke billowing from the house located at 55 McVeigh Rd. in New Hampton around 8 a.m.

The homeowner, off-camera, shared that he detected the smell of smoke while preparing morning coffee. Upon investigation, he witnessed flames emerging from the back of the house and garage.

According to Vini Tankasali, Orange County fire coordinator and deputy commissioner of Emergency Services, a neighboring fire chief was alerted by occupants of the burning house. This led to notifications made to Orange County 911 dispatch and the New Hampton Fire Department, eliciting an immediate response from firefighters.

Approximately nine fire departments were mobilized to tackle the blaze and successfully brought the fire under control within an hour.

Despite the intensity of the blaze, only one minor injury was reported—incurred by the homeowner attempting to extinguish the fire with a garden hose that had frozen and then trying to reenter into the house, resulting in burns to the hands. The homeowner's three older children safely evacuated the house, and there were no other reported injuries.

The cause of the fire remains under active investigation by authorities.