Cops: Resident hurt in Levittown apartment building fire

An apartment building fire in Levittown late Sunday left a 68-year-old woman hospitalized for smoke inhalation and damaged several units, officials said.

The fire on North Newbridge Road was reported at 11:34 p.m., Nassau County police said. The building is part of Newbridge Gardens Condominiums.

The fire began in a second-floor apartment that was occupied by two people, and the female resident was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment of minor smoke inhalation, according to Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro.

Michele Sanchez identified herself as the resident taken to the hospital, telling News 12 Long Island she “woke up because of the smoke alarm,” saw the flames and got out.

“Everybody has to get smoke alarms,” Sanchez said. “They save lives.”

She told News 12 she went to the hospital for smoke inhalation because she has asthma.

The Red Cross responded to the scene and assisted about 20 people who were displaced by the fire, Uttaro said.

The fire does not appear to be suspicious, and the investigation into its cause is continuing, Uttaro said.

After getting out of the hospital, Sanchez surveyed the damage to her home, finding it “much worse” than she thought it would be.

“I’ll be OK,” Sanchez said. “Put one foot in front of the other.”