Woman Rescued from Cedarhurst House Blaze

A chief of the and Nassau County police officers on Sunday rescued a handicapped woman from a Cedarhurst house that had caught fire, according to a fire official.

Members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department received a call for the fire at 2:29 p.m., according to Chief Joseph Sperber, who along with First Assistant Chief Anthony Rivelli were the first on the scene. The chiefs reported heavy fire in the second and third floors of the Fifth Street home upon arrival.

Rivelli and the officers got the 56-year-old woman out from the first floor and an ambulance brought her to South Nassau Communities Hospital for smoke inhalation. Two of the four other residents of the house, who were able to evacuate, were also brought to South Nassau.

Firefighters went into the multi-family house aggressively, Sperber said, since there were reports of people trapped in the building. Fortunately, no additional rescues were necessary, he said.

A Hewlett firefighter who suffered a laceration to his face by falling debris was brought to Franklin Hospital for treatment.

Other residents of the home were treated at the scene for stress and trauma.

According to police, the fire started in a second floor apartment where incense and candles were being used by the occupants.

Due to the hot weather, 75 firefighters were on the scene battling the blaze, using 12 pieces of apparatus.

“We need to circulate personnel as much as we can,” Sperber said.

The fire was under control in about 30 minutes, and firefighters secured the scene for an additional hour.

The Inwood, Woodmere, Hewlett, Meadowmere Park, Long Beach and Valley Stream fire departments assisted in the operation. The Lynbrook Fire Department sent an additional ambulance.

The Valley Stream and Elmont fire departments covered LCFD’s district during the incident and responded to three calls.

Sections of Washington Avenue and Clinton Avenue were closed off during the operation.

Editor's note: This story was updated with information from the Nassau County Police Department.