EMFD battles basement inferno on Marlboro Street

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Radio's of EMFD's bravest were alerted on Dec. 5 at 11:20 a.m. for a report of a house fire at 2356 Marlboro Street.

By 11:22, Chief Phil Fertitta radioed his response, soon followed by his Assistant Chiefs James Walsh and Paul Kosiba. A time stamp also given to Engine Company 2 as the first rig out. Additional radio information to the responders was "smoke coming from the basement."

By 11:23, Chief Fertitta arrived on the scene announcing a "Signal 10" (Working Fire: Re-alert for additional manpower, starting out Rescues 4 and 5, and a series of mutual aid from neighboring departments).


As other companies readied to respond, Chief Fertitta radioed a quick size up to all units of a "two story cape with fire out the front door".

At 11:24 "First Due" Engine 612 arrived on the scene, dropped two attack hose lines to the front lawn and proceeded to the nearest hydrant 150 feet away laying their supply hose along the way.

Within minutes after the Chief's arrival, all 6 of East Meadow's fire companies had filled the street, and assignments were set in place.

Using a transitional fire attack, first in firefighters initially knocked down the fire from the exterior, switching quickly to an interior attack as additional resources arrived.

With fire on two levels, one attack hose team entered the exterior basement entrance, while the other simultaneously entered the 1st floor front door.

Within 15 minutes, all visible fire had been knocked down, as additional firefighters arrived on the scene, some leaving their jobs.

For nearly an hour, firefighters continued to pull ceilings and walls to expose hidden fire, as others carefully hosed down the hot spots.

Rescue Company 5 established a medical treatment area where one person, a construction worker, was evaluated, and later transported to the Nassau University Medical Center by Wantagh FD ambulance 6918.

In all, 50 East Meadow volunteers responded to the alarm, with another 20 additional firefighters making up the standby mutual aid response in the event of other emergencies in town.

Although the second floor was spared of fire, damage to the basement and first floor was extensive. Much of the second floor sustained heavy smoke and heat damage.
The home was under renovation at the time of the fire.

Mutual Aid agencies assisting the East Meadow fire departments were Levittown, North Bellmore, North Merrick, Wantagh, Uniondale, Hicksville, Westbury, and Bellmore, most of whom backfilled the empty East Meadow fire stations.

The EMFD Ladies Auxiliary was on scene to distribute the much needed energy fluids.

The cause of the fire was placed in the hands of the Nassau County Fire Marshal.

John J. O'Brien is an active Ex Chief of the East Meadow Fire Department. He is the District Supervisor of the Jericho Fire District and has over 30 years of Dispatch and Supervisory experience.