RVC FD, PD Rescue Five From Early Morning House Fire

A fire that broke out in the living room of a Woods Avenue home early Tuesday morning killed two dogs and a cat, but local fire and police department officials saved a sleeping family of five.

Officials said one woman in the home was seriously injured with burns to her airway and suffered smoke inhalation. She was transported to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment. The other four were taken to South Nassau Communities Hospital with minor injuries and have since been released.

According to John Busching, chief of the Rockville Centre Fire Department, officials responded to the fire alarm at 98 Woods Ave. shortly after 5 a.m. The fire, which broke out in the the living room of the Ranch-style home, was "very hot and very smokey," Busching said.

Busching said three adults and two kids were sleeping at the time, and were rescued from the blaze by RVC firefighters and police officers. Firefighters went to the back of the home and used a ladder to get to the second floor. They pushed an air conditioner into a second-floor bedroom where they found a 9-year-old boy and took him to safety. Firefighters then found a 59-year-old woman in a second-floor bedroom. A 13-year-old girl was also rescued from the second floor.

Busching said the fire was under control within 15 minutes, but there was extensive fire damage inside the home. Firefighters had to tear down walls and ceilings to ensure that the fire had not spread to other parts of the home, he said.

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The chief said the fire did not appear to be suspicious in nature, but the Nassau County Fire Marshal is investigating.

For more pictures, click here, courtesy of Trustee Ed Oppenheimer.