By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
At the mention of fire, Karen, a patron who lives down the block, remembers that she left a candle burning. Karen, Tony and Sash, who lives around the corner, run from Nolan's Pub and head for the burning house.
Fortunately for Karen, it wasn't her house. Not so fortunate early last Thursday morning was a family of four, who were asleep as their house began to burn.
The trio banged on the door, but there was no answer. Tony and Sash then kicked in the door and began shouting "Fire!" to wake up the occupants.
"The smoke was horrendous," Sash said. "It just choked you. I've never experienced something like that. It was like a heavy weight hitting you with a right hook."
Soon after Tony entered the house, he was overcome by the smoke and fell down. Sash pulled him out, and then he and Karen helped three women and a 3-year-old girl escape through a window as the fire spread, ravaging their first- floor apartment at 415 E. Park Ave.
Romula Cuba, 35, her daughter, Ruany Soca, and cousins Roxana Makia, 32, and Ellia Heler, 63, were saved with the help of the Nolan's trio. The second-floor apartment was unoccupied.
When the Long Beach Fire Department arrived, flames were blazing through the front window.
"They [the family] were in a state of shock, and they had substantial damage to their apartment," said Scott Kemins, first assistant fire chief. Firefighters had the blaze under control within a half-hour, he said. The Oceanside Fire Department was standing by to assist.
While battling the blaze, Long Beach firefighter Edward Thursland suffered a back injury. The Island Park Fire Department transported Thursland to Long Beach Medical Center, where he was treated and released, a hospital spokesperson said.
The Island Park Fire Department transported Cuba and her daughter to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, where they were treated for smoke inhalation. The Lido Beach-Point Lookout Fire Department transported Heler and Makia, who were both treated for smoke inhalation at Long Beach Medical Center and released.
The cause of the fire has not been determined and is being investigated by the Nassau County Arson-Bomb Squad, though it is not deemed suspicious.
The first floor had extensive fire damage, while the second floor had mostly smoke and water damage. The American Red Cross is looking for new housing for the mother, daughter and cousins.
