At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, Wantagh Fire Department dispatcher Bill Gilmor received a call reporting a house fire at 42 Ring Lane in Levittown, prompting the alert of stations 1, 2 and 4. Initial reports were that there were no occ
upants home, however, there was a dog in the house. A few minutes later, police units responding to the scene reported that the fire was “through the roof” causing second assistant chief Ken Kelly to order a general alarm.
Upon his arrival at the scene, fire was coming out the front kitchen window and a “Signal 10” was transmitted. Chief Kelly was incident commander and he was assisted by third assistant chief Tom Bloomfield.
Engine 2 was first on scene and they secured a hydrant, followed closely by Ladder 2 and Engine 7, who secured a second hydrant. Two hose lines were stretched and placed into operation by the crew of Engine 2, initially attacking fire on the first floor under command of Engine 2 captain Joe Borst. A second hose line was placed into operation by the crew of Engine 7, directed by lieutenant Dan Brandon, and they continued to attack the fire on the first floor as the crew of Engine 2 moved their hose line and went upstairs to attack fire that had spread to the second floor.
As the engine companies were fighting the fire, the crew from Ladder 2, with direction from ex-captain Bill Stevens, conducted a search for victims. While searching a rear bedroom, firefighter Brian Fink found the dog and he, assisted by Gilmor, removed the dog from the house. Once outside, oxygen was administered to the dog and it was transmitted to an animal hospital for treatment by a police car.
There were approximately 50 firefighters from Wantagh, assisted by units from the North Bellmore, Levittown, Seaford and East Meadow fire departments as well as the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD). In addition, Bethpage and Bellmore fire departments stood by at Wantagh fire stations in the event of any additional alarms.
The Nassau County Fire Marshalls Office and NCPD Arson/Bomb Squad were on the scene and they determined that the fire appears to have been accidental in nature.
All units were secure from that alarm at approximately 11 a.m. and there were no reported injuries. Thankfully, after about 20 minutes at the animal hospital the dog was said to be doing fine.
