Man dies after being pulled from Seaford house fire

An 85-year-old man has died after a fire engulfed a Seaford home Monday evening, Nassau County police said.

Just before 7 p.m. Monday, the Seaford Fire Department received calls of a house fire at a two-story dwelling on Crescent Cove Drive in the gated Crescent Cove community, Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said at the scene at about 9:15 p.m. Monday. He said about 100 firefighters responded to the call as Seaford was joined by members of Wantagh, North Massapequa and other fire departments.

“They had heavy fire upon arrival and they also had a report of an occupant trapped on the second floor,” Uttaro said. “Firefighters got on the scene quickly, made a really aggressive effort, got upstairs, grabbed that individual and got them to the front door to a waiting ambulance and EMS crews.”

The victim, who Uttaro would not identify Monday evening, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in “critical condition.” Nassau police said the man died there around midnight.

Neighbor Diane Santonino said she witnessed the fire Monday evening from across the street, and described the scene as “chaotic.” She said a woman she recognized as the elderly occupant’s caretaker was yelling that he was in the house. She described the man as “quiet” and “a very nice gentleman.”

“It happened very very fast,” she recalled. “The flames just started coming out of the window, and then it started going down to the bottom floor.”

Uttaro said first responders quelled the fire in about an hour.

“The house sustained heavy damage and right now our fire investigators are on scene working to determine the cause,” he added.