Cops rescue 5, including 2 kids, from Huntington Station fire

Five residents, including two children, were rescued from an early morning fire that gutted a two-story building Tuesday in Huntington Station, Suffolk County police said.

The five escaped injury thanks to the quick thinking and actions of four Suffolk police officers, one who entered the burning building on New York Avenue and raced up the stairs to escort a woman to safety.

Police said the others set up an extension ladder and rescued the other four residents — a mother and father and their 15-year-old and 6-year-old children. That family had been trapped on the roof of the burning building, police said.

The fire in the 1300 block of New York Avenue was reported in a 911 call at about 1:30 a.m., police said. Second Precinct officers Matthew Berube and Michael Haggerty, as well as Emergency Service Section officers Giacomo Marchese and John Farrell, all responded to the scene to find the two-story building ablaze and the second floor "fully involved."

The building housed a commercial business on the ground floor and two apartments on the second floor, police said. 

Berube entered the building and was able to rescue one woman from her second-floor apartment, while police said the other three officers set up the extension ladder.

While Marchese anchored that ladder, police said, Farrell and Haggerty climbed to the roof, Farrell handing the 6-year-old to Haggerty, who safely brought the child to the ground.

The officers then escorted the other three family members to safety, police said.

Police said four family members were taken to Huntington Hospital for evaluation but said there were no significant injuries.

“Five lives were saved today in part due to the immediate actions of these four Suffolk County police officers,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “Every day, police officers put on their uniform not knowing what is ahead of them and today, these officers risked their lives running toward a burning building to save Huntington Station residents. The Suffolk County Police family could not be more proud of these heroic officers.”

About 35 firefighters responded to the scene, bringing the blaze under control within an hour, officials said.

Firefighters from Huntington Manor responded with seven trucks, battling the blaze with the assistance of Huntington and Greenlawn under the direction of Manor Chief Jon Hoffman, fire officials said.

With Nicole Fuller

By John Valenti

john.valenti@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.”