Chimney fire erupts at Atlantic Beach home

A New Year’s Eve afternoon turned hazardous for the Miller family of Atlantic Beach, according to Assemblywoman Melissa Miller.

“As we were spending what we thought was a quiet afternoon lazing around, we suddenly found ourselves in panic mode,” she wrote on Facebook. “There was a loud noise from the fireplace and before we knew it smoke was backing up into the house.”

Miller said there was a “mad rush” to get her son, Oliver, and all of his oxygen tanks, her daughter, Katy, and others as well as the cats and dogs quickly, while calling 911. “It happened so fast,” she posted, calling it “very very scary!!”

The Inwood and Long Beach fire departments responded, along with Nassau County police. “Their quick response in this frigid cold weather was awesome,” Miller wrote.

Firefighters found that the fire emanated from the chimney and extinguished the blaze.