Blaze burns through North Bellmore Fire Department chief’s home

The North Bellmore Fire Department responded to a house fire at 2512 Bristol Drive early Monday morning, but members later discovered that the home belonged to one of their own — Second Assistant Chief Artie White III.

Department Chief David Marschall arrived at the house at 4:29 a.m. and immediately called other departments to the scene to help fight the blaze, according to the NBFD’s public information officer, Harrison Last.

Fire erupted from one room on the second floor and quickly spread to the rest of the floor, Last said. White and his family safely escaped the blaze “with no issue,” he said. The Bellmore, East Meadow and North Merrick fire departments assisted the NBFD in battling the fire.

At press time Tuesday, the cause of the blaze was under investigation by the Nassau County fire marshal’s office. A North Bellmore volunteer who helped extinguish the fire was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Last said.

In less than 24 hours, members of the North Bellmore community and beyond raised nearly $11,000 on a GoFundMe page to benefit White and his family. The effort was organized by Anthony Vicario, a member of the North Merrick Fire Department.

“Please support Artie and his family, as he supports the community day after day,” Vicario wrote.

Residents can donate to the fundraiser at www.gofundme.com/f/fundraiser-for-chief-artie-white-iii-and-family.