Two firefighters injured in Long Beach blaze

Posted

Two Long Beach firefighters were injured in a house fire on West Hudson Street Thursday when they fought through heavy flames and smoke.

Firefighters responded to the scene at 4:10 p.m. on the 200 block of West Hudson, where smoke was pushing from the top floor of the home.

“Firefighters made entry and were met with heavy fire on the second floor with a significant portion of the fire located inside the attic,” the Fire Department said on Facebook. “A second alarm fire was transmitted shortly thereafter, which brought additional firefighting assistance from neighboring departments across the South Shore.”

The two firefighters were taken nearby hospitals in stable condition, one with a back injury while the other was treated for smoke inhalation.

About 75 firefighters responded to the scene, and fire officials said that the blaze was under control within an hour. No residents were injured, though the home sustained significant fire, smoke and water damage.

Long Beach Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins and Fire Chief Rich DiGiacomo could not immediately be reached for comment. Kemins told Newsday that two adults were at home when the fire broke out, but escaped safely. Seven adults and two children were displaced, and Kemins said that the Red Cross was providing assistance.

The fire appeared to have started in the attic, and the Nassau County Fire Marshal is currently investigating the cause.

“You had a large volume of fire in the attic, which is kind of a confined space, hard to get to, so it was a labor intensive fire," Kemins told Newsday. “Firefighters, who wear about 80 pounds of gear and equipment, took turns putting out the flames and resting to avoid heat exhaustion and other injuries.”