Elmont man dies in house fire

A 33-year-old Elmont man died Monday in an house fire that investigators believe may have started accidentally in the kitchen, officials said.

The victim's name was being withheld, pending identification and family notification, police said.

Firefighters responded to the blaze on Madison Street about 6:15 p.m. and found the two-story wood-framed residence with fire raging throughout the building, officials said.

"The wind was a big factor," Elmont Fire Chief James Prince said. "The flames were blowing out the windows."

About 70 firefighters from Elmont, Franklin Square, Valley Stream, Floral Park and Malverne fire departments were able to knock down the fire after about an hour and gain access, Prince said.

The victim was discovered in a first-floor bathroom and he was dead by the time firefighters found him, Prince said.

Two household pets, a dog and cat, were able to escape the fire earlier, Prince said, when a neighbor kicked in a door.

This was the first fire fatality in Elmont in about 12 years, fire officials said.