Elderly woman killed in early-morning blaze in Bethpage, Nassau fire official says

An elderly Bethpage woman died from injuries sustained in a bedroom fire early Friday, a Nassau County fire official said.

Nassau County Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro said the fire, which broke out in an apartment at a 55-and-over complex on Nicole Court, was reported at 2:13 a.m. He said firefighters from Hicksville and five other departments responded to the two-story structure under command of Hicksville Chief Gary Lewis. Firefighters located the woman, pulled her from the bedroom, and performed CPR at the scene, Uttaro said.

"They did great work and managed to stabilize her" for transport to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, Uttaro said. "But," he said, "unfortunately she passed later from her injuries."

The identity of the woman had not been released, pending notification of next of kin. Police said she was 79 years old.

Uttaro said the residence was equipped with smoke detectors and a sprinkler system and said both activated.

The fire was contained to the apartment bedroom, Uttaro said, adding that other units in the complex were not damaged by fire. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation but said it did not appear suspicious.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com,joan.gralla@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”