Wantagh fire official: Cats die in house blaze

Several cats were killed during a fire Wednesday in a home in Wantagh, officials said.

“When we got there, there was heavy fire coming from two sides of the house and possibly the roof,” said Kevin Regan, a spokesman for the Wantagh Fire Department.

“There was a little confusion initially. The homeowner said, ‘I’m trying to get her out,’ so two firefighters began a search without a hose line in place,” Regan said.

The “her” turned out to be in reference to a cat, Regan said.

The fire was reported at 4:20 a.m. in the home on Seamans Neck Road at Twisting Lane and was brought under control at 5:05 a.m., Regan said.

Regan said several cats were killed, but it was not known exactly how many. The homeowner was not injured and there were no injuries to firefighters, he said.

About 75 firefighters from Wantagh, Levittown, Seaford, East Meadow and Massapequa worked at the scene, he said.

He said the origin and cause of the fire were under investigation by the Nassau County fire marshal and the police Arson Squad.

Photos from scene show the house was badly damaged.

Seamans Neck Road was closed briefly at Twisting Lane for the fire investigation, Nassau County police said.