By MIKE CAPUTO
As Tim Hearty and Bob Steiner discussed preparing a campfire with a friend, Eric DeHaan, and their families for their own Fourth of July celebration, the sight and smell of smoke was not from the wood that lay before them at the Treasure Cove Resort.
They looked across to the neighboring Capri Resort, and saw smoke coming from a wood villa. Flames were not yet visible outside the historic 140-year-old structure, but the trio immediately ran over to see how they could help.
"The place started to fill with smoke," Hearty recounted. "At this point, we're like, 'Now we better get over there.'"
To the surprise of the three men, several people gathered on a patio outside the 11-unit villa were apparently unaware that they were in danger. Steiner recalled waving and yelling at them to get away, but they stayed put - and some waved back at him. "People were still in the front porch and hanging out," Steiner said. "It was mind-boggling. I don't know what people were thinking."
As he surveyed the front of the burning building, Hearty and DeHaan went to the back. Like Steiner, Hearty said he and DeHaan were surprised that the people were unaware of the developing fire. Some of them did not appear to understand English, he said, and once they figured out what was happening, some were reluctant to leave without gathering their belongings.
"We just started yelling, kicking on doors and getting people out of their rooms," Hearty said. "Some people were just kind of standing there because I think they were shocked. We had to be forceful and keep everyone moving."
The brothers-in-law said the adventure unfolded over what felt like hours, but was actually only a matter of minutes. They noticed the smoke at about 5:50 p.m., they said, and the villa appeared to be fully engulfed within 20 minutes, despite the efforts of local firefighters, many of whom arrived on the scene site via fireboats.
To the trio's surprise and relief, no one was injured in the blaze despite the fact that every unit in the building was occupied. Investigators told a local television station that it may have been an electrical fire.
None of the three friends have firefighting or rescue experience, though Hearty and DeHaan have military backgrounds. They met in Army basic training about 15 years ago.
Hearty 40, is no longer active, but DeHaan, 41, is a third-grade chief warrant officer and has served three tours in Iraq. He is currently stationed in upstate Fort Drum, where he lives with his wife, Cara, and two daughters.
Hearty is a carpenter by trade, and is studying to become a registered nurse. He and his wife, Debbie, live behind the Parkway Elementary School on Grayson Drive in East Meadow with their children Eric, 7, and Jennifer, 5. Steiner, 47, works the custodial night shift at Kennedy High School in Bellmore, and lives on Wingate Avenue with his wife, Wendy, and their children, Samantha, 13, and Matt, 9.
Steiner recalled something he learned in a past job training seminar - guidance he ignored in Lake George on July Fourth. "Not running into a burning building is usually the first thing they tell you," he said.
Later that evening, families and guests at the resorts enjoyed their own barbecues by the lake. Hearty, Steiner and DeHaan even got that campfire started. As they sat around the fire pit, Steiner recalled a resort guest saying, "So I see you didn't get enough fire in today?"
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
