Crime & Safety

Fire Engulfs Lindy Home, Sends Three to Good Sam

Wind was a major factor in the fire that broke out at a home on River Street June 1, said fire officials.

Fire engulfed a house occupied by two separate families on River Street, near , in Lindenhurst, sending three people to the hospital June 1,  fire officials said.

Three people with minor injuries – including a person who had trouble breathing and another with an ankle injury – were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital, told Lindenhurst Patch.

No one else was treated, he said, but, according to the owners of the home, LouAnn and David Brand, two family cats living there could not be located following the fire.

Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Their daughter Gina and son Anthony, who live there, as well as the upstairs tenants – a mother, her sister and son – were home at the time the fire broke out at approximately 7:47 p.m. on Wednesday.

Gina Brand told Patch, “Everyone was home. I was on the phone. I heard someone yell, ‘Get out of the house! It’s on fire!’ I dropped the phone and ran out. Everyone got out.”

Find out what's happening in Lindenhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gallagher said there were reports of several people passing by the fire who were the ones who alerted the occupants to the fire and to evacuate.

“Apparently several people who saw the house on fire as they were passing by yelled to them to get out,” he said.

There was no word as to whom the person or persons were.

LFD fire and rescue units were called to the scene, plus the fire marshal, per town protocol, and fire units from and Copiague as back-up.

LouAnn Brand and daughter Gina said the fire started on the side of the house. However, the cause of the fire was unknown, said Gallagher.

“And there were conflicting reports as to how it started, so we called the Suffolk County Arson Squad to sort it out. It’s in their hands now,” he added.

The Arson Squad later said, “The cause of the fire does not to be appear to be criminal in nature.”

Wind was huge factor in the spread of this fire, which burned both floors of the two-story home and melted the siding off the neighbor’s house, according to Gallagher.

“It was super-windy when we got there, and it took the fire wherever it wanted. It played a major role,” he said.

It appeared that the second floor took the biggest hit, and according to the Brands, there was only one room untouched by fire, but the entire house had smoke and water damage in addition to being burned.

USA Emergency Board-Up came to seal the home following the fire, and the Brands and the tenants were able to go inside the home as it was being boarded up to check for belongings.

The neighbors, whose home’s siding was melted, were not home at the time, according the husband, who declined to give his name. He said that the damage to their home was “more cosmetic.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.