By Hector Flores
According to Detective Peter McGinn of the Nassau County Police Department¹s Arson/Bomb Squad, Tanya Morris, 38, of 100 Terrace Ave. in Hempstead, was arraigned on Feb. 22 at First District Court in Hempstead and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree arson.
Police said that on Feb. 22, at 1:30 a.m., the East Meadow Fire Department responded to a fire in room 1422 at NUMC. Police added that when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found a burnt mattress that had been extinguished by hospital staff.
No injuries were reported, but the fire was deemed suspicious, authorities said. Following an investigation, the Arson/Bomb Squad and the Nassau County Fire Marshal¹s Office determined that the suspect allegedly used a lighter to intentionally set the fire, and Morris was arrested and charged at 5 a.m., officials said.
John O¹Brien, first assistant chief of EMFD, said that the department responded with 80 firefighters because it was a general fire alarm, which requires the response of all East Meadow firefighters. He said it was fortunate that the fire was contained to the bed and was put out before the arrival of the firefighters.
³The fire took place on an occupied floor [the 14th], which is a psychiatric ward,² he said. ³The fire was extinguished by the hospital¹s fire safety personnel, who are trained to respond to fire.²
Shelley Lotenberg, a spokeswoman for NUMC, explained that hospital staff members are trained in fire safety regulations. ³During the safety classes, they receive instruction on using a fire extinguisher, horizontal and vertical evacuation of patients, fire alarms and fire drills,² she said.
On the day of the fire, Lotenberg said the fire alarm rang at about 1:30 a.m. on the hospital¹s 14th floor. Upon arrival, hospital staff found a fire that had been, allegedly, deliberately set by a patient being housed in room 1422.
³The safety officers extinguished the fire with a handheld extinguisher,² Lotenberg said. ³But since there was smoke caused by the fire, the East Meadow Fire Department was called.²
Lotenberg added that the patients on the 14th floor were evacuated and placed in the auditorium, which is located on the hospital¹s first floor.
The patients were returned to their units at 3:45 a.m., Lotenberg said, adding that no injuries were reported by patients and hospital staff members.
³Everything was back to normal shortly,² Lotenberg said. ³Staff responded appropriately and followed all proper policies and procedures.²
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