Fire Rips Through Garage At Westhampton Beach Group Home

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — A fire ripped through the garage at a Westhampton Beach group home early Friday morning, officials said.

According to the Westhampton Beach Fire Department, members responded to a structure fire at a group home on White Oak Lane in Westhampton shortly before 5:00 a.m. According to online records, an Independent Group Home Living, or IGHL, facility, is located on White Oak Lane, but IGHL representatives did not return a request for comment.

Westhampton Beach Fire Department Captain Lewis Scott was the first volunteer to arrive on scene, followed shortly by Chief Halsey Stevens, the fire department said in a release.

They reported smoke and flames in the garage on the north side of building. The first due engine arrived shortly and its crew had the flames knocked down quickly, fire officials said. However, the volunteers had to spend the next hour searching for residual fire under the roof of the garage. Firefighters cut holes in the roof while other volunteers tore apart the walls and ceiling of the garage, a release said.

By 6:15 a.m. it was determined that the fire had been extinguished and all department units were back in service shortly thereafter, the release said.

The Westhampton Beach Fire Department responded with three chiefs, two engines, and a tanker. Officers from the Southampton Town and Westhampton Beach Village police departments were on scene and the Eastport Fire Department sent a standby crew to the the Westhampton Beach headquarters. A crew from the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance was there also to check on the well being of the residents, fire officials said.

There were no reported injuries, but the Southampton Town fire marshal determined that the house was not habitable.

IGHL could not immediately be reached for comment.