Fire Destroys Historic Nissequogue Home
The fire brings out units from 10 local fire departments.
An early morning fire Friday destroyed a historic Nissequogue home after a problem with water made it impossible for firefighters from 10 local fire departments to quench the flames.
According to Michael Grosskopf, first assistant chief for the Nissequogue Fire Department, the fire that took down the 14 Rassapeague home appeared to have started in the area of the fireplace, although the exact cause has not yet been determined. Grosskopf said the balloon framing and metal roof allowed the fire to engulf the entire home.
Grosskopf said the distance the home is to the main roadway created difficulties for the firefighters.
"The most difficult thing was water. This is a good half mile from the road so we had to bring our tanker in and we brought a lot of five-inch hose," he said.
The assistant chief said that there were six or seven people in the home at the time of the fire, all exiting the home with no injuries. No firefighters were injured fighting the fire.
Nissequogue, Nesconset, Commack, Smithtown, St. James, Kings Park, Centereach, Setauket, Hauppauge and Ronkonkoma fire departments were called in to fight the fire.
The call for the fire was received around 5:30 a.m. and firefighters remained on the scene until roughly 2 p.m.
The fire is under investigation.
Sandy Bacchi
5:05 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
No pumper trucks?
CommackMom
5:37 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
Devastating.
Bob
8:01 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
Grosskopf not Grosskobf and the call came over at 5:15am and was out by 11am
Peter Verry
12:20 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
@Bob
I called to confirm the spelling of his name and you are right, thank you for the heads up. As far as the times the call came in and when firefighters left I was on scene interviewing the assistant chief and that is when he said the call came in and I remained on scene with the firefighters until they left, which was 2 p.m., not 11 a.m.
Camlle
8:52 pm on Friday, December 30, 2011
Fireplace, again !!!
Jeanette Grillo-Bates
10:37 am on Saturday, December 31, 2011
No it did not say the fireplace ashes started it...it said undetermined.
Renee
4:58 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
Being that there were 6 or 7 people in the house at 5am-ish in the morning, don't you think an alarm is what saved their lives? A fire extinguisher probably would have been pointless by the time it woke them up. Though, with a house that big, sprinklers would have been a very good thing. Terrible that such a beautiful house was destroyed, but thankful no lives were lost like many stories we hear!
nissfire
6:03 pm on Saturday, December 31, 2011
The fire started from inside the floor next to the fireplace. It only spread to the walls after the fire department open the floor without having any water ready to go. There was many fire extinguishers and their were smoke alarms in the house. There was only a 3" line initially the 5 came much later.
nissfire
5:25 am on Sunday, January 1, 2012
The fire department arrived around 530 and they only had to call back asking for directions twice.
JH
7:30 am on Monday, January 2, 2012
We are very lucky to have such dedicated and hardworking people in our fire departments! Thankfully no one was injured and all are safe
KP since 1969
9:41 am on Monday, January 2, 2012
so sad....prayers to all those affected
Suzanne Lacalandra
5:38 pm on Thursday, January 5, 2012
My Girlfriend's Son was one of those Housemates that were very lucky to escape such a devastating fire. After all, their lives are worth more than a building! Good luck to all and I'm sorry for your circumstances.