Route 9W to Remain Closed in Clarkstown After Massive Brush Fire

by M.C. Millman 

Route 9W in Clarkstown from the Route 304 intersection through to the rock cut will be closed through Sunday afternoon after Friday's massive train track brush fire, as reported by Rockland Daily.

Several homes along some smaller side streets off of Old Haverstraw Road were damaged by the flames, which melted the siding on four homes, and destroyed two sheds, fences, vehicles, and other property. More than one hundred people had to evacuate. Officials say the fire stretched along fifteen miles of track and destroyed between 50-70 acres across the county. Including nearly 40 acres of celery fields.

The intense flames melted the siding on four homes and destroyed two sheds and other property, including fences and vehicles. Upwards of 100 people had to evacuate.

The post-fire closure is due to the extensive cleanup in this area, including removing trees and rocks from the mountainside in the aftermath of the blaze, which was first observed along Old Haverstraw Road in the Lief Boulevard neighborhood of the Hidden Valley Condominium complex. 

Officials are blaming negligence on the part of CSX  for causing the fire, which may have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs to each town suffering fire damage. 

CSX says the company is cooperating with Rockland County during the investigation and trains which were paused on Friday were restarted today, albeit at a reduced speed through Haverstraw.