By Andrew Coen
The Seratta and Coelho families, who lived on the first and second floors of the house, respectively, lost many valuables in the blaze, authorities said. The American Red Cross of Nassau County provided shelter for them at a nearby hotel for two nights while they searched for a place to stay. "We assisted [the families] individually," said Thea Linscott, a Red Cross spokeswoman.
The Red Cross also supplied food and clothing to the families, according to Linscott. Where the families will go after they leave the hotel was not known, either, but Linscott said the Red Cross would be available to help the now homeless residents in any way it can. "They can always come back to the Red Cross," she said.
The Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office has determined that the fire was an accident. Fire officials did say, however, that an excessive number of extension cords in the home, at 1077 Cedar Lane, likely contributed to the electrical fire.
Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze, according to fire officials. One suffered burns on his neck and was taken to the Nassau County Burn Center at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, while another injured his hand when he was struck by a hose. One neighbor, an off-duty New York City firefighter, injured his foot trying to kick open a door of the home. All three were treated and released from both Nassau Medical Center and South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, officials said.
Joseph Whittaker, a fire investigator for the fire marshal's office, said the fire began in front of a first-floor bedroom and caused considerable damage to the two-story structure and its contents.
The Town of Hempstead recently sent a building inspector to the site after one of the residents complained about electrical problems, Whittaker said. According to Hewlett fire officials, a steam leak was discovered in the pipes in the first-floor apartment in February, which prompted residents to call firefighters to the house, since it was believed that a fire had started. The prior steam leaks may have contributed to Sunday's blaze, according to Whittaker.
The Hewlett Fire Department was called to the home at 10:03 a.m., and firefighters were able to contain the blaze 28 minutes later, according to officials. They were met with heavy flames coming from a first-floor window, but were able to extinguish the blaze and stop it from spreading far beyond the first-floor room, according to the Hewlett Fire Department. Smoke and water damage, however, made the second floor uninhabitable, according to Hewlett fire officials.
The Woodmere, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Inwood and Valley Stream fire departments also responded to the scene.
Whittaker said that the house could be restored, but that it would be difficult to recover items in the home. Its owner, Bienvenida Javier, who, according to Whittaker, does not live in the house, could not be reached for comment.
Members of the Seratta and Coelho families were also unavailable for comment.
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
