Massapequa Fire Department Battles Blaze and Cold Weather

Massapequa firefighters had their hands full with a raging  house fire and frozen hydrants early Tuesday morning.

The blaze gutted a vacant home, but resourceful firefighters were able to save two neighboring homes, authorities said. Nobody was injured.

The fire broke out shortly after midnight, according to Massapequa fire chief Peter Anglim.  

One of the department's chiefs lived nearby  the home on Forrest Avenue near Brockmeyer Drive and was on the scene immediately. His colleagues arrived minutes later after receiving a 911 call, only to discover they were having trouble getting water.

"There was a heavy fire condition and we were hampered by frozen hydrants," Anglim said.

Several of the hydrants near the burning home were frozen and Anglim immediately requested engines from South Farmingdale, Seaford and North Massapequa to come to the scene.  Firefighters from Wantagh and Amityville were put on standby.

The engines carry extra water and would be needed if firefighters couldn't find a working hydrant.

Fortunately they found one about 2,400 feet away from the fire scene. About 1,000 feet of line was stretched from the hydrant to an engine, another 1,000 feet ran from that engine to a second engine which ran the final 400 feet of line to the home.

Anglim estimated it took about 10 to 12 minutes to get water on the fire. Once they did, authorities had to work fast to save neighboring homes, which were exposed to the blaze.

Firefighters used a master stream to deluge the building  quickly with a large amount of water to help put the blaze out. Anglim said they were on the scene for about four hours.

The chief praised his team's efforts. "Because of their excellent defensive tactics, we were able to save the two homes," he said.

The fire did major damage to the home and the cause is undetermined. 

Members of the Oyster Bay buildings department are investigating the structural damage.

 "It looks like the fire started in the back of the house because that's where most of the char and damage is,"Town  Electrical Services Supervisor, Jerry LaRussa said.

"There wasn't much content in the house so it appeared to be vacant."

Larussa, who's a former Jericho fire official said it also appears that the fire melted the siding on the neighbor's house.

"They're actually lucky that's their only damage from a fire like this, he said.