Arson Detectives Investigating Fire That Destroyed Patchogue Home

PATCHOGUE, NY — Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives are investigating a blaze that all but destroyed a Patchogue home on Sunday, police said.

Police said a 911 dispatcher received a call for a fire at a home on Thorne Street just before 10 p.m., and its cause "is undetermined but detectives cannot rule out fireworks."

No one was injured.

News 12 reported that at least two families have been displaced by the fire and that one family member, Edwin Cajamarca, whose relatives live in the house, said someone lit a firework up in the street and it hit the house, then a bush caught fire, followed by the whole house.

He told the news outlet that the house's contents are "ruined" and "nothing was saved, not even a pair of socks or anything."

Neighbor Tashana Small has organized a bilingual GoFundMe page fundraiser to help the Cajamarca family out.

On her page, Small said that the family's 18-year-old was sleeping in his bedroom, heard a spark, and then felt the heat, adding, "Thank God [he] was able to alarm his parents, and they could get out of the house."

"The uncle and his family that lives upstairs were out at a carnival, but unfortunately, their childhood dog could not be saved," she wrote, adding, "Please find it in your heart to donate to these families. No amount is too small if you cannot donate monetarily."

Small asked for donations of clothes for men and women in sizes small, medium, large, xL, and 2x.

The investigation into the fire is continuing.

Anyone with information about the fire can call 1-800-220-TIPS, a confidential police headline.