6-Alarm Lattingtown Blaze Leaves ‘Huge Hole’ In Roof

LATTINGTOWN, NY — Over 40 firefighters from area departments — some fresh off of another nearby fire — responded to a six-alarm blaze at a Lattingtown home on Saturday, Locust Valley Fire Department Chief James Neumeyer said.

Dispatchers received the call just before 4 p.m. at a home on Frost Creek Drive where the new homeowners were undertaking repairs, said Neumeyer, who saw visible flames shooting from the home’s roof when he arrived. No one was injured in the fire, he said, adding, “Thank God.”

The fire wove its way to through layers of the roof, but was contained to the attic and did not spread to other areas of the home, Neumeyer said. The back of the home’s roof, which faces the backyard, now has a huge hole and the home’s living room ceiling was damaged because firefighters were forced to cut through in order to bring the fire under control.

Locust Valley was assisted by six other departments, including Glen Cove, Glenwood, Bayville, Syosset, and Roslyn. Glen Cove EMS also responded. The fire, which comes close to the 31 year anniversary of the Avianca air disaster in Cove Neck, was one of three to break out along the North Shore over the weekend.

Local firefighters also responded to a three-alarm fire on Sunday and, a four-alarm blaze on Saturday in Sea Cliff where, according to police, 65 firefighters from surrounding departments assisted the Sea Cliff Fire Department, and a woman was transported to an area hospital for treatment of "partial burns" to her face following the Sea Cliff blaze.

Locust Valley’s ladder truck company was called to Lattingtown within about 45 minutes of finishing its job assisting other departments in Sea Cliff, Neumeyer said. “It rarely happens that our battalions catch work so close in the time period, but it could happen,” he said.

Firefighters had some difficulty on Saturday due to the weather which was windy and bitter cold, said Neumeyer, adding, “I think that the guys did a great job.”

The investigation into both fires is continuing, police said.