Monsey - 5 Ramapo cops injured during minor house fire

MONSEY - Five Ramapo police officers suffered smoke inhalation in an attempt to rescue a woman who was mistakenly reported missing in a minor house fire this morning, officials said.

The woman, who was staying at the home at 20 Darby Road, was reported unaccounted for by a resident who called 911 to report the fire, about 10 a.m., said Monsey Fire Chief Adam Gordon.

Ramapo police arrived at the scene ahead of firefighters and attempted to search for the woman amid heavy smoke.

She was later found uninjured outside the home, Gordon said. The other seven occupants were uninjured.

It turns out there was a small fire in a bedroom in the basement. There was nobody in the home at the time,” he said.

None of the officers’ injuries are life-threatening, officials said.

They were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and minor cuts, said Ray Florida, executive director of Rockland Paramedics.

At the scene, paramedics tested the officers for carbon monoxide poisoning and found their levels to be normal, Florida said.

Ramapo police declined to release the names of the officers. They’re expected to hold a 2 p.m. press conference at their headquarters, 237 Route 59, Ramapo, to discuss the incident.

The Rockland County Sheriff’s Fire Investigation Unit and Ramapo police are investigating the cause of the blaze.