House fire kills 1 man, displaces 3 people in New Cassel
The scene of a fatal house fire on Arlington Street in New Cassel on Friday morning. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
One man died and three adults were displaced as the result of a Friday morning house fire in New Cassel, Nassau County fire officials said.
Nassau Chief Fire Marshal Michael F. Uttaro said the blaze at the home on Arlington Street was reported in a 911 call at 7:49 a.m. Firefighters from Westbury, under the command of Chief Tim Stewart, arrived on scene to reports of a trapped occupant and with heavy fire conditions on the second floor.
Uttaro said two fire marshals on their way to work — Dan Roe, a Hempstead Fire Department chief; and Dan Giardino, a former captain with the department — saw smoke from the fire as they headed along Old Country Road and went to the scene. They and Nassau police officers were "driven back by the intense heat and rapidly deteriorating conditions in the house," Uttaro said in a statement to Newsday.
Eventually, more than 50 firefighters from the Westbury, Carle Place, Hicksville, Mineola and Syosset fire departments battled the blaze, bringing it under control within about 45 minutes, Uttaro said.
Firefighters found the 74-year-old male victim on the second floor and pronounced him dead at the scene, Uttaro said. The identity of the victim has not been released, pending notifications.
No other civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.
The Red Cross was assisting the three displaced adults.
The cause of the blaze is being investigated by fire marshals and detectives from the police arson/bomb squad unit, but is not considered suspicious, Uttaro said.
Inspectors from the Town of North Hempstead Building Department were assessing what was described as "serious damage" to the home.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.
'The strategy that I'm seeing ... is very chaotic' A Newsday review of court records sheds new light on ICE's Long Island operation and where it's happening. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa, Shari Einhorn, investigative reporter Josefa Velásquez and attorney Reuben Kerben break it down.
'The strategy that I'm seeing ... is very chaotic' A Newsday review of court records sheds new light on ICE's Long Island operation and where it's happening. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa, Shari Einhorn, investigative reporter Josefa Velásquez and attorney Reuben Kerben break it down.
