CHARLESTON - One person was killed in a Monday morning house fire at 773 Brand Road, but Montgomery County emergency officials would not confirm the identity of the victim this morning.
Montgomery County Undersherrif Jeffery T. Smith said the fire is under investigation by the state Fire Investigation Team, the Montgomery County Cause and Origin Team and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Smith said the investigation is not an indication that foul play is suspected.
"Whenever there's an incident like this, you make sure you do a full investigation," he said.
Smith said the two-story home was destroyed by the fire. According to phone records, Clay D. Hammond lived at the residence.
Smith said he couldn't say when authorities could release information, but he hoped it would be done "sometime later today."
Volunteer Fire Departments from Charleston, Rural Grove, Burtonsville, Glen and Canajoharie responded to the call at 9:36 a.m., with Esperance, Ames, Fort Hunter and Fort Plain placed on stand-by. Officials said firefighters didn't clear the scene until 6:15 p.m.
On the other side of the county, firefighters from both Fulton and Montgomery counties were dispatched to County Line Trailer Park off Noonan Road in the town of Amsterdam for a fire at 11:14 a.m.
Volunteer fire departments from Perth, Fort Johnson, Hagaman, Berkshire and Cranesville responded with Mohawk and Tribes Hill placed on stand-by.
Fort Johnson Assistant Chief Steve Harris said there was heavy smoke billowing from trailer number 16 when he arrived.
He said firefighters had the fire under control within an hour and a half. He couldn't speak as to whether the trailer is salvageable, but said the fire "broke the roof" at one point.
"But we instantly got it knocked back down," he said.
At least 50 firefighters responded with about 22 from Fort Johnson and about 20 from Hagaman.
Harris said a lot of the mutual aid was called for tanker trucks because there were no hydrants available.
Fort Johnson Volunteer Fire Department Chief Alden Miller said two people lived in the trailer and are being taken care of by the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York.
Firefighters cleared the scene by 2:15 p.m., a dispatcher from the Sheriff's Office said.
Amanda Whistle covers Montgomery County. She can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com.
