WESTERLO — A chimney fire in Westerlo was put out quickly by volunteer firefighters Wednesday morning, but the chimney itself was destroyed in order to reach the rest of the home. Two residents escaped unharmed, including a lifetime member of the Westerlo Volunteer Fire Company, Robert Snyder.

WVFC Chief Kevin Flensted said his department was alerted at 10:42 a.m. by one of the Snyders and their first engine arrived at 259 Goodfellow Rd., stretching a line to the rear of the building, and controlling the fire within five minutes.

Flensted said that the chimney had a cracked flue and caught fire. The fire burned through the chimney and caught the attic and kitchen on fire. In order to reach these rooms, the firefighters had to tear down the chimney, he said, completing their work around 1:30 pm.

Rensselaerville, Berne, East Berne, and Coeymans Hollow fire departments also responded to the fire.

The house is located near the corner of County Route 1 and Goodfellow Road. According to the Albany County assessment rolls, the property is owned by Robert and Ruth Snyder. It includes four acres of land and a house and has a full market value of $102,041, the rolls say. Robert Snyder is a lifetime member of the WVFC, a former town councilman, and an elder in the Westerlo Reformed Church. He has lived in Westerlo all his life and runs the family dairy farm.

Despite the destroyed chimney, the rest of the structure had minimal damage, said Flensted, and the Snyders are planning on rebuilding their home. They are currently staying with family.