In the early morning hours Monday, Rye fire personnel worked for more than two hours to contain an electrical malfunction of the Rye Subaru’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.
Around 1:30 a.m. Aug. 10, the city’s Fire Department responded to the Rye Subaru building after receiving an alert for an automatic commercial fire alarm.
Upon entering the premises, firefighters encountered heavy smoke, which they thought was coming from the basement. Since the crew was still unsure of the source, Rye firefighters called the Larchmont and Rye Brook fire departments for backup.
With the assistance, the fire crews determined the smoke was actually originating from an HVAC unit on the roof. Officials isolated power to the area and used large fans to ventilate the entire Rye Subaru building until the smoky conditions subsided.
“This incident is an important reminder of the value of properly maintained and functioning commercial fire alarm and smoke detection systems,” the Rye Fire Department said in a prepared statement. “Because the alarm was activated during overnight hours when the business was unoccupied, the automatic notification brought firefighters to the building before the problem could potentially develop into a more serious incident.”
Fire department officials also encouraged commercial property owners to keep secure Knox Boxes – contained with building keys, access cards and emergency contact information – at buildings.
“During afterhours incidents, a properly maintained Knox Box can allow emergency responders to gain access quickly without waiting for a key holder or forcing entry,” the Fire Department said. “It also allows responders to secure the building once operations are complete when a representative of the business is not immediately available.”
