Dramatic rescue saves man from East Rockaway house fire

Firefighters battled a second-floor blaze on Ocean Avenue in East Rockaway on April 12.

Courtesy Steve Grogan/LFD

First Chief Gene Torborg was in command at the Ocean Avenue fire.

Courtesy Steve Grogan/LFD

The victim was transported to South Nassau Communities Hospital.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

East Rockaway resident Bobby Mielinis lost all of his possessions in a house fire on April 12. As the Herald went to press, he was being treated at the Nassau University Medical Center Burn Unit.

Courtesy Mielinis family

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East Rockaway firefighters extinguished a blaze and rescued a 54-year-old man from his second-floor Ocean Avenue apartment on April 12.

Nassau County Police Department arson/bomb detectives said that East Rockaway firefighters responded to a call for a house fire at 10:40 p.m., and saw flames inside a second-floor apartment when they arrived. According to 1st Chief Gene Torborg, neighbors reported that Bobby Mielinis was in the apartment, and firefighters began an immediate search. They found Mielinis lying face-down on the bathroom floor.

Members of Ladder 403 carried him from the building, Torborg said, and Mielinis was taken by ambulance to South Nassau Communities Hospital by ambulance, where he was treated for severe smoke inhalation. From there he was transferred to the Nassau County Firefighters Burn Unit at Nassau University Medical Center.

“The fire was contained to the second-floor apartment and was quickly brought under control by the quick actions of the first responders,” Torborg said, adding that two firefighters were treated for injuries and transported to SNCH as well, one of them with hand lacerations after he broke a window to gain entry to the residence. They were treated and released.

Torborg said that between 30 and 40 ERFD members responded, and he credited the assistance of surrounding fire departments with helping to make the operation go smoothly. “An Oceanside ladder, Lynbrook engine and Rockville Centre ambulance covered the Village of East Rockaway while [we were] involved at this fire,” he said. “A great job was done by all members, and the mutual aid departments who responded … [We] hope for a speedy recovery to the injured firefighters.”

“I heard that [the victim] is likely to pull through …,” Torborg added. “We’re still praying for him and his family that this story has a positive outcome.” 

The Nassau County fire marshal and the NCPD Arson Bomb Squad determined that the fire was not suspicious.

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