FD Battles ‘Aggressive Fire’ At Home For Disabled

Firefighters contain the blaze to the basement of a Melville group home for the disabled, where a fire broke out Monday morning. (Photo / Steve Silverman)

An aggressive fire broke out in the basement of a group home for the disabled in Melville, fire officials said.

Melville firefighters were dispatched to the home operated by the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities at around 8:15 a.m. on Monday.

The fire was contained to the basement, according to Melville Fire Chief Jason Bernfeld.

“Our firefighters began an aggressive interior attack which contained the fire,” Bernfeld said. The fire which gutted the basement, left the home uninhabitable.

Three residents and four employees were safely evacuated, fire officials said. There were no injuries reported.

Forty firefighters using five trucks had the blaze under control within a half hour, with the assistance of the Huntington Manor, Dix Hills and East Farmingdale fire departments.

Fire officials said the cause of the fire appears to be accidental in origin. There is an investigation being conducted by fire marshals from the Melville Fire District, New York State Fire Prevention and Control and the Suffolk County Police Arson Squad.