Officials Eye Gas Fireplace As Origin Of Hearst Mansion Fire In Water Mill - 27 East
logo logo logo logo

Fire & Emergency / News / Southampton Press / 1664827

Officials Eye Gas Fireplace As Origin Of Hearst Mansion Fire In Water Mill

Fire Rages Through Water Mill Mansion Owned By Hearst Family
icon 1 Video & 26 Photos

Fire Rages Through Water Mill Mansion Owned By Hearst Family

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday.

The Bridgehampton Fire Department, assisted by mutual aid from several other local fire departments, battled a fire in the roof of a Water Mill mansion on Little Noyac Path in Water Mil on Saturday. BY MICHAEL HELLER

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames.

Fire destroyed a Water Mill mansion on Saturday morning. The house was on Little Noyac Path, which does not have fire hydrants, forcing fire crews from throughout the South Fork to rely on tanker trucks to supply the water needed to fight the flames. Michael Wright

authorMichael Wright on Dec 28, 2019
Investigators say they are looking into whether a gas fireplace in a second-floor bedroom was the culprit in the December 28 fire that tore through a 16,000-square-foot mansion owned by... more

You May Also Like:

Southampton Police Reports for the Week of February 6

SOUTHAMPTON VILLAGE — A woman called Village Police on January 30 to report that someone had called her demanding money and threatening to harm her mother if she did not pay. The woman called her mother, who lives in New Jersey, who told her that she was fine and had not been threatened by anyone. Police advised her that the call was a scam and that she should not send any money. SOUTHAMPTON VILLAGE — A Village Police officer pulled over a vehicle on East Gate Road and Hill Street on January 30 because the vehicle’s license plates matched that ... 5 Feb 2025 by Staff Writer

Southampton DWI Arrest for the Week of February 6

Mark G. Kerson, 37, of New York City was arrested by Southampton Town Police at about 9:15 p.m. on January 28 and charged with DWI after he was pulled over on David Whites Lane for speeding and an officer determined he had been drinking more than the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle. by Staff Writer

Long Island's Last Ducks?

The destruction of nearly 100,000 ducks at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue late last month due to an outbreak of the avian flu there was alarming, and a tragedy for the family running the farm and their employees. It’s unclear whether the last remaining duck farm on Long Island will be able to rebound. The outbreak at the farm was the latest in a series of scary global outbreaks in recent months, affecting the poultry industry and resulting in a sharp increase in cost to consumers. Locally, it follows an outbreak of the deadly virus at Spring Farm, a game ... by Editorial Board

Throw a Lifeline

The first two weeks of the second Donald Trump administration have been a fire hose of developments “flooding the zone,” so it’s easy to miss small developments that could have enormous impact in some quarters. One of those is the Federal Communications Commission and its new focus on NPR and PBS. The New York Times reported that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has launched an investigation into “whether the news organizations’ member stations violated government rules by recognizing financial sponsors on the air.” Its conclusions could lead Congress to take away financial support. NPR and PBS acknowledge corporate sponsors on air, ... by Editorial Board

Town and Village Residents Will Need To Pay More To Drive on Southampton Village Beaches

Southampton Town and Southampton Village residents who enjoy driving on Southampton Village beaches will have ... by Cailin Riley

Man Discovered Dead Inside Vehicle in Westhampton Beach

A man was found dead last week in Westhampton Beach inside a van that did not belong to him, though authorities say the death is noncriminal in nature. On Monday, January 27, at 5:02 p.m., the owner of the van called Westhampton Beach Village Police to report a suspicious person he’d found sleeping in the front passenger seat of his van, which was parked off Main Street. The van owner reported he had noticed the passenger door was slightly ajar, and when he went to check on the van, he found the stranger inside. He told police he had tried ... by Cailin Riley

Southampton Thespians Will Stage 'Mean Girls,' With a Little Help From Broadway's Original Karen

Kate Rockwell doesn’t miss high school. But that didn’t stop her from stepping inside a ... by Michelle Trauring

Southampton Town Police Plan Crackdown on Speeders Along County Road 39

Southampton Town Police are beginning a major push to rein in speeding and improve safety ... by Michael Wright

Southampton Town Will Embark on New Comprehensive Plan

The Southampton Town Board and the town’s planning staff are embarking on the likely years-long ... by Michael Wright

Southampton Discrimination Court Case at Tipping Point

A 2021 federal lawsuit against the Village of Southampton and its former police chief charging racial discriminatory practices in promotions was scheduled to go to trial this week, but the trial has been put off as the judge considers a motion for summary judgment. The motion on behalf of the defendants — former Chief Thomas Cummings, the Southampton Village government, and 10 unnamed co-defendants — will be decided in the coming weeks by Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury in an Eastern District of New York courtroom in Central Islip. Kareem Proctor, a Village Police officer, filed the lawsuit in October 2021 ... by T.E. McMorrow