Auxiliary cop helps rescue 4 dogs from neighbor's house fire

A Suffolk County Auxiliary police captain assisted in rescuing four dogs from a house fire in Ronkonkoma before evacuating residents from nearby homes, police said.

At about 9:45 a.m. Sunday, Auxiliary Capt. Jamorn Chindananta saw black smoke coming from a home on Baeck Street in his neighborhood, according to Suffolk police.

He found a resident in the garage, who informed him that her four dogs remained in the house. With the assistance of Chindananta, who has served as an auxiliary officer for 16 years, the homeowner was able to rescue the dogs before the house was fully engulfed in flames, police said.

Chindananta then notified residents of adjacent homes to evacuate. One of those homes also sustained damage from fire, police said.

Fire departments from Bohemia, Hauppauge, Holtsville, Lakeland and Nesconset responded to extinguish the fire.

Suffolk police said there were no injuries and Arson Section detectives are investigating the cause of the fire.