Three Dix Hills Firefighters Hurt While Saving Home From Blaze

Three Dix Hills firefighters were injured while battling a garage fire at a Dix Hills home Friday evening, officials said. 

Dix Hills Fire Department volunteers responded to the fire in a detached garage on Corsa Street at around 5:10 p.m. Chief of Department Bill Stio arrived within seconds of the alarm and confirmed a fully involved garage fire threatening the home.

The approximately 15x40-foot garage was just several feet away from the home, separated by a breezeway. Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the flames, minimizing damage to the home.  Nearly 50 firefighters battled the blaze with five trucks.

Dix Hills Rescue Squad crews provided EMS support with two ambulances and a rehab unit. Fire Police were also on the scene for traffic control. The Deer Park Fire Department assisted with a Rapid Intervention Team, while the Greenlawn Fire Department and Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps stood by at Dix Hills headquarters.

One Dix Hills firefighter experiencing chest pains was transported to Huntington Hospital. Another firefighter suffered second-degree burns and was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital. The third firefighter was treated at the scene for a shoulder injury. 

The fire was controlled within a half-hour, under the command of Chief Stio and operations by Assistant Chiefs Robert Fling, Tom Napolitano and Alan Berkowitz. The blaze destroyed the garage and its contents, with minor extension and damage to the home.

The fire appears to be accidental in origin, but is under investigation by the Suffolk Police Arson Squad and Town of Huntington Fire Marshal.