A smoke condition at the Rye Subaru car dealership on Boston Post Road in the early hours Monday morning, prompted a response from three local fire departments. At approximately 1:30 in the morning on Monday, August 10, 2026, the City of Rye Fire Department responded to Rye Subaru at 1175 Boston Post Road in response to an automatic commercial fire alarm.
Upon entering the building, firefighters encountered a smoke condition in the basement and immediately began investigating the source. Due to the conditions found inside the building, Westchester County dispatch was notified to upgrade the response, bringing automatic-aid companies from the Larchmont and Rye Brook Fire Departments to assist.
Fire crews determined that the smoke originated from an HVAC unit located on the roof of the building that had suffered an electrical/mechanical failure. Power to the affected unit was isolated, and crews used multiple large-volume fans to ventilate the building and remove smoke from the affected areas.
Fire Department units operated on scene for nearly two hours and returned to service at approximately 3:17 a.m.
Importance of a “Knox Box”
Fire officials said the incident was an important reminder of the value of properly maintained and functioning commercial fire alarm and smoke detection systems. Because the alarm was activated during overnight hours when the business was unoccupied, the automatic notification brought firefighters to the building before the problem could potentially develop into a more serious incident. Commercial fire alarms frequently occur after normal business hours, overnight, and on weekends, making reliable alarm and detection systems especially important when no employees or occupants are present to recognize a problem.
Rye FD said it encourages commercial property owners to maintain a Knox Box at their building (the Subaru dealership had a Knox Box). A Knox Box is a secure exterior lock box that can contain building keys, access cards, and emergency contact information for use by authorized Fire Department and Police Department personnel. During after-hours incidents, a properly maintained Knox Box can allow emergency responders to gain access quickly without waiting for a key holder or forcing entry. It also allows responders to secure the building once operations are complete when a representative of the business is not immediately available.
