Hempstead fire in illegally subdivided house displaces over a dozen residents, officials say
Hempstead firefighters had a house fire at 83 Front St. in Hempstead under control within 30 minutes on Saturday morning, officials said. Credit: Jim Staubitser
A fire broke out on Saturday morning in an illegally subdivided house in Hempstead Village, leaving more than a dozen residents displaced, officials said.
The blaze at the Front Street house caused no injuries but about 17 displaced residents were receiving help from Red Cross volunteers, according to fire officials and Frederic Klein, a spokesperson for the organization's Greater New York Region.
The Red Cross Long Island Disaster Action Team was still on the scene Saturday afternoon.
The Hempstead Fire Department responded to the fire at the two-story attached house shortly after a 911 call at 9:47 a.m., according to Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro.
Hempstead firefighters placed it under control in 30 minutes, with help from three mutual aid fire departments.
The fire damaged the house, as well as the one attached to it. Both were found to have multiple illegal apartments and rental rooms, according to Uttaro. The village Building Department was on scene.
Residents who need help but were not able to connect with the Red Cross on scene should call 877-733-2767.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
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