Brookville mansion suffers heavy damage in morning fire; occupants escape
Firefighters on the scene of a fire on Meadowood Lane in Brookville. Credit: Joseph Sperber
Firefighters from at least seven Nassau County departments battled a fire Tuesday morning at a Brookville mansion, Nassau fire officials said.
The fire at the home on Meadowood Lane was reported via an automatic fire alarm early Tuesday, and the Nassau Fire Marshal's Office said the occupants were able to get out on their own.
More than 75 firefighters combined to fight the blaze. Jericho was assisted by firefighters from East Norwich, Bethpage, Westbury, Syosset, Hicksville and Oyster Bay, said Nassau Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro. The blaze was put out in about an hour, he said.
The cause of the fire was undetermined Tuesday, although investigators believed it started in an attached prayer room, Uttaro said. Investigators said it could have started with a candle.
The house had significant damage and fire was showing as firefighters arrived, Uttaro said. A family was able to evacuate the home without injury.
The Nassau County Office of Emergency Management brought a mobile emergency response vehicle to the scene to assist firefighters with severe weather conditions. The National Weather Service said temperatures were hovering around 40 degrees at 11 a.m., with significant wind and light snow showers reported in the area.
Uttaro also said there had been "significant damage" reported to the structure — and said the Village of Brookville Building Department will assess the damage to determine if the home can be repaired or if demolition will be required. The home was deemed uninhabitable after the fire.
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