Beacon City Schools On Lock Out After Threat Called In - All Is Well After Investigation

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Friday morning, after students left their homes for their walking or bus commute to Beacon’s High School and Middle Schools, but just before Elementary School students began their journey to school, a robo-call went out from Beacon’s Superintendent Matthew Landahl explaining that a threat had been made to Beacon’s Rombout Middle School, and that students of all schools would be on a “lock out” status with the protection of the Beacon Police.

Said Dr. Landahl: “I am communicating with an important safety message. The Beacon Police Department is working with us to evaluate a threat to Rombout Middle School that was called in. Beacon High School and Rombout Middle School are currently in a lock out which means students are safe in their classes and can move between classes during class changes. Our elementary schools will be operating under the same procedures when they start. There will be law enforcement at each of our buildings for arrival and throughout the day. Our initial evaluation of this is that it is a false threat and we will update you when we know more.”

This is not the first false threat that the Beacon City School District has received. Dr. Landahl is quick to update the district community when threats like this are made. However, it is one of the only ones where the students were in an active lock out that was not a drill.

One parent, when texting their child to find out where exactly they were in the building, was corrected by their child, when they asked the status: “Are you still in the lock down?” the parent asked. “We are in a lock out, Mommy.” Oh.

As Dr. Landahl stated, the students were able to move throughout their class schedule, attending classes. ALBB was told that some students spent part of their class time, in between iReady reading sessions, whispering how they would get out, before being quieted by their teacher for chatting too much and to focus on their classwork. Some sharpened their pencils, to feel safe. Others decided who would throw the class microwave at anyone deemed suspicious and unsafe entering their room.

At South Avenue Elementary, a Beacon Police Officer let in the students, instead of Security Guard Pat Cooper (pictured above). Parents who were late were hopeful that tardy slips would not be given this time. The Police Officer on Front Door duty was not sure on the day’s procedure for tardy slips.

In the case of South Avenue, Police Officer Donovan (pictured above) was stationed there for the entire day. ALBB asked about how he got his lunch, and he said he thankfully had packed, although admin staff offered him take-out. Teachers were noticeably stressed at the release of the children at the end of the day, making sure to get each child to their parent waiting outside. Lots of hugs were received, and the day continued.

All is well thank goodness.

Raging Fire Destroys Multi-Unit House Under Renovation In Alleged Arson (925 Wolcott Avenue)

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Photos Posted by the Beacon Fire department. See all of them here.

At 6:35am, flames and smoke at 925 Wolcott Avenue could be seen above roofs of neighboring houses.

On the morning of Tuesday, January 3, 2023, between 6am and 6:30am according to neighboring residents who called 911, the house at 925 Wolcott Avenue known to longtime Beaconites as “The Guest House” because it was a group home, was engulfed in a raging fire, which destroyed all 3 floors. According to Zillow, the house had 9 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms.

According to those at the scene, there was no one living inside of the house at the time of the fire. The house had been purchased 6 months ago, according to the new owner, and was under renovation.

First responders could not yet confirm that there were no injuries, but they indicated that no one had been inside to need assistance. By 9:30am, once the fire was contained and smoke remained, fire fighters began searching the rubble to make sure no one was inside, as they searched for “hot spots” to continue to put out. Also at that time, Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White could be seen exiting the scene.

Flames at 925 Wolcott Avenue in Beacon could be seen high above trees and houses from Newburgh in the early morning before sunrise.
Photo Credit: Mid Hudson News, Anastasis Amanatides

At 6:35am, flames and smoke could be seen above roofs of neighboring houses. According to one resident who called 911 at approximately 6:35am, other people had also called in to report the fire. According to that resident, no sirens were immediately heard approaching, even though they may have arrived at the building already.

UPDATE 1/6/2023: Other readers did recall hearing sirens. It was a multi-agency event, so several first responders from different communities were there.

The fire was so hot at 925 Wolcott Avenue, it peeled the vinyl off the neighboring house.

In Beacon, during slow periods on the road, or in quiet hours, emergency response units have been known to flash their lights but not their sirens, perhaps out of noise consideration.

According to first responders at the scene, they arrived at 6:30am to fight the fire. Several fire departments assisted as mutual aid, including Rombout, Fishkill, Glenham, and others. Those at the scene said the blaze was so hot, that it almost melted a fire truck.

UPDATE 1/6/2023: Other readers did recall hearing sirens. It was a multi-agency event, so several first responders from different communities were there.

UPDATE 1/6/2023: As reported by the Highlands Current, first responders included: firefighters from the Village of Fishkill, Castle Point and Glenham. Both of Beacon’s ambulance services, Ambulnz and Beacon Volunteer Ambulance, assisted. the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and MTA police also assisted. Rombout and Chelsea firefighters provided standby coverage in the city. The fire is being investigated by the Beacon Police, the Dutchess Sheriff’s Office and the Dutchess Fire Investigation Division.

The fire’s heat did peel vinyl siding off the neighboring house, and those residents were vacated from their home while the fire was put out near their home with water. Central Hudson poles on the sidewalk near the house were also burned.

Central Hudson was also on the scene to find the gas line under the ground to shut it off to prevent any gas leak. They began digging using a private contractor trained in such excavation.

Beacon City School District Administrative building is nearby, as is Sargent Elementary School. Containment of the blaze was ongoing during the morning arrival of students via bus, car and those who walk. Sargent Elementary PTO issued an update via Instagram to those transporting to expect delays, and that the drop off circle was not in use, but that the school was not physically impacted by the fire.

According to Mid Hudson News, the 3rd floor of the house collapsed. Experts on the scene predicted the entire building would need to be demolished.

Alleged Cause Of The Fire

According to those at the scene, arson was suspected by fire fighters, who called in the Dutchess County Fire Investigation Division, who reportedly prefers to not use the word “arson” in their title anymore. Their truck is labeled Dutchess County Emergency Response Field Support Unit. A black dog trained to sniff for gasoline was seen exploring the scene.

Inside, the house had been stripped to the studs. According the building’s owner who spoke to A Little Beacon Blog, the suspect had turned himself in for setting the fire. According to the owner, the suspect could be seen removing a security camera before allegedly pouring gasoline throughout the house. The owner said the suspect had been a tenant in the boarding house prior, but did not live there now. ALBB reached out to Beacon Police Chief Sands Frost and City Administrator Chris White for confirmation and/or comment, and has not yet received a response.

UPDATE 1/6/2023: The Highlands Current reported in the print version of their article published after the online version was published: “Police said he walked to the department and turned himself in immediately after starting the fire. He is in custody at the Dutchess County jail in Poughkeepsie and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. in Beacon today (Jan. 6).”

According to Beacon City Court when ALBB followed up, that preliminary hearing got adjourned and postponed to the following week, the date still to be released.

UPDATE 1/3/2023 5pm: The Beacon Police Department issued a Press Release confirming arson. Read it here.

According to reporting by Mid-Hudson News: “The property had recently been sold and construction was being performed at the property until the project was shut down by city officials.” A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to Beacon’s Building Department Inspector Bruce Flower and the City Administrator Chris White for comment and has not yet received a response.

As the building’s owner looked at the wreckage, he reflected to ALBB that it was a landmark. When asked if he had plans to designate it historic, he answered that he did not. As for any historic designation, ALBB reached out to Beacon’s City Planner John Clark, who said: “So sorry to hear about the fire. This building, although old enough, is not included in the City's Historic District and Landmark Overlay Zone and, as far as I know, not on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also not on a list of residential buildings considered last year for the HDLO, which concentrated on properties closer to Main Street.”

Longtime residents of Beacon remember 925 Wolcott Avenue as a boarding house for men. Old pictures show the condition of the inside of the house, including notes residents wrote to each other, as well as architectural details.

NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN

Tenants of the house had left each other common area notes, according to old photos on Zillow. These say: “Please THINK! ALL of us here must share common “stuff” such as toilets, showers, sinks, one stove. Be kind and clean up any messes you make” The note was signed with a smiley face.

Another note says, in all caps, indicating importance: “Unused stove burners not be considered.The back left burner is used less often. It needs to be covered up when you cook. This reduces fat and grease buildup.”

The third note instructs in green marker: “Please don’t touch any of the heaters.”

It is not known when the last time the building was inspected while people lived inside of it, before it was purchased and gutted.

Tips can be sent to the Beacon Police Department and to A Little Beacon Blog.

Pickup Truck Hits Building On Main Street - Driver, Dog, Moose and Building Seem Fine

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At a little before 3pm on Tuesday (11/1/2022) afternoon, a gray, 4-door pickup truck was driving east up Main Street toward the mountain when it drifted left, crossed the double yellow line, hit the curb, plowed over a sapling tree, sped passed the moose sculpture made of driftwood, then hit and bounced off of the old brick firehouse building that is currently Hudson Beacon Glass, on the corner of Cross Street and Main Street.

The truck hit the corner of the building, which has a metal pole mounted to it, and bounced off, where it came to a stop, according to a witness. No major damage was done to the building, which is filled with glass blown pieces on shelves for people to buy. A clock did fall off the wall, according to a glass blower working there at the time. Otherwise, nothing shook or shattered, they didn’t think.

According to a witness, the driver was a local Beaconite who was driving with his small black and white dog, when he thought he dozed off at the wheel, perhaps causing his foot to hit the gas pedal as his truck veered left. Upon impact, the airbag deployed. According to the witness, the only injury he sustained was a scratch to his elbow. The driver was not immediately taken by an ambulance after the crash.

After the truck hit the building, a glass blower on the second floor heard the bang. After the bang, another glass blower on the first floor heard a dog barking wildly. According to a witness, a local pedestrian on the sidewalk had been glancing at something nearby, and was about to move forward to study it, when the truck whizzed by them and crashed into the building.

Both the pedestrian and a glass blower immediately assisted the person in the car. After the air bag deployed, it caused smoke to come out, triggering the pedestrian who almost got hit to run toward the vehicle to open it to help the victim and the dog who was barking wildly from inside. Police arrived moments later to block the area. After things settled a bit, the driver could be seen sitting in a stoop of an apartment slightly up the street.

According to a witness, the driver had just completed work to his truck, and was very shaken about the incident.

Beacon Police Release Report Of Car Fire In Madam Brett Park From May 2022

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Back in mid-May, A Little Beacon Blog reported on a car fire that happened on a hiking trail in Madam Brett Park along the Fishkill Creek. We submitted a FOIA for the police report, which remained open for some time, and therefore could not be released. Yesterday, the City of Beacon Police Department released the Police Report BL-002891-22 that described the scene as the responding Officer Jason Burns described it in his Police Report.

The description from the Police Report has been republished in full below. Names of anyone identified have been redacted from the report, and ALBB cannot see them, if they are there.

05/18/2022 10:30 — BURNS, JASON (071):

“This officer responded to a report of loud banging noises coming from the area of the creek at Madam Brett Park. Upon arrival, I entered the parking lot for Scenic Hudson and observed a large fire approximately 50 yards down the walking path from the trailhead. I then observed it was a fully engulfed vehicle fire on the pathway, with flames reaching the overhanging branches.

“I radioed the situation to dispatch who initiated a fire response via 911. While awaiting the arrival of BFD, I heard a loud booming sound and observed the left rear tire of the vehicle explode from the expanding air in the overheated tire. BFD arrived on the scene and proceeded to extinguish the fire.

A generic Mercedes Benz GL450, not the one found in the woods, but a picture used for reference.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

“Once the fire was put out, PO Sequist, Sgt Confield, and myself inspected the vehicle and observed no one inside. The vehicle was observed to be a Mercedes Benz GL450, with the color unknown as all of the paint had been removed and burned by the fire. It also bore no registration plates and was devoid of the VINs located at both the bottom of the windshield on the driver side and above the driver side door sill.

“The entirety of combustible material within the vehicle had burned completely. All officers conducted a canvas of the area for any additional evidence with negative results.

“The on-call detective was notified and Detective Lawrence responded to the scene. The scene was processed and the vehicle was removed by High-End Auto and transported to DPW where it was cordoned off by crime scene tape and in the view of security cameras. File 25 sent. Case TOT detectives.”

According to a witness who spike with ALBB, the Beacon Police were called at around 4:11am, and arrived at approximately 4:20am. In ALBB’s previous article:: “At least one resident was woken up by the the sounds of the burning car, overcome with the feeling like their bed was shaking. They said that the explosive sounds sounded like someone was throwing bricks in a dumpster, or gunshots. Smoke billowed up to the tree tops, scorching the trees.”