East Hampton Fire Department volunteers responded Wednesday night to a house on Cosdrew Lane, in Northwest Woods, where the basement had become smoky and electricity had partially gone out.
The call for a possible basement fire came in shortly after 9 p.m., according to Chief Duane Forrester. "Upon arrival, we found a light smoke condition along with the smell of burning wood," he said on Thursday afternoon.
Two adults and a number of children were inside the house at the time the 911 call came in. They evacuated immediately.
Inside, firefighters "were able to pick up a heat signature in the ceiling of the basement," Chief Forrester said. "They made inspection holes and found the transformer for the landscape lights had overheated, melted the wiring, and started to scorch the wood surrounding it."
Upon a closer look, the incident had followed the removal of some of the bushes from along the front porch. "We found a severed wire," he said.
The firefighters did not need to use water in handling the situation. No injuries were reported. The town fire marshal is investigating.