This story was written and reported by Julie McMahon and Jeff Stein.

Update 8:55 a.m. -- Nedrow firefighters are back at the house for a reported rekindling. The extent of the new damage isn't known but it's likely much less significant than that caused by the first blaze, one Nedrow firefighter said.

Earlier --



Nedrow, N.Y. -- Brandon Hollister was sitting in his room just before 3 a.m. Thursday morning when he heard the sound of a pop.

His TV, heater and lights shut off. He then looked up and saw flames coming out of the attic of his Nedrow home at 201 W. Roswell Ave.

"It just popped and everything shut down on me," Hollister said. "I saw the fire and it was like, 'woah.'"

Hollister, 27, ran downstairs and woke up his father, brother, nephew and mother. They all made it outside safely.

"If he wasn't home we probably would've been dead," said the father, Wayne Hollister Sr.

Wayne and Brandon stood outside in the -2 degree weather around 7 a.m. surveying the damage. Wayne's lived in the house for more than 25 years.

Wayne said his wife is an animal lover who had more than a half-dozen pets in the house. Four dogs, two parrots, one cat, pet rats and turtles were all saved, Wayne said.

"Noah ain't got nothing on us," Wayne said.

With the fire raging, Brandon went back upstairs to save the parrots, he said. As thanks, one of them bit him on the hand. He rescued it anyway.

About a half-dozen fire trucks arrived at the house, near the intersection of West Roswell Avenue and Midland Avenue. The Nedrow Fire Department, TLC Ambulance and sheriff's office were all called to the scene.

The house sustained significant structural damage, primarily to its roof and a top-story apartment, said Amanda Burke with the Nedrow Fire Department.

Firefighters were on scene for more than three hours.