1 adult, 1 child killed in early morning basement fire at Hempstead apartment building, officials say

One man and one child are dead after a fire broke out in the basement of a Hempstead apartment building early Friday, authorities said.

An alarm went off around 4 a.m. at the two-story, multiple-family dwelling on Albemarle Avenue, which the fire rendered uninhabitable, officials said. Fire marshals said they believe the home did not have smoke detectors.

One resident, identified only as a 42-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Mi chael Uttaro said in an emailed statement. Another resident, a 12-year-old boy, was transported to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, where he was pronounced dead.

About 100 firefighters from Hempstead, West Hempstead, South Hempstead, Freeport, Rockville Centre, Uniondale, Garden City, Elmont and Westbury responded to the scene, battling the blaze under the direction of Hempstead assistant chief Scott Clark. 

The fire went to a second alarm before it was placed under control within 90 minutes, Uttaro said.

"Serious fire damage to the structure" made the building uninhabitable, he said in the news release, adding, "NO smoke detectors observed."

The two victims were discovered in the basement, Uttaro said. It was not immediately clear if they were related. No other injuries were reported.

Outside the building, cordoned off by police tape, on Friday around 11 a.m., about a dozen neighbors joined relatives of the deceased as they watched fire and police officials work the scene.

Children's bicycles and a helmet, along with a wheelchair, sat underneath two broken windows.

The Red Cross was asked to assist 10 residents displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by fire marshals and detectives from the Nassau police Arson / Bomb Squad. Hempstead Village building inspectors were also on the scene.

Newsday's John Valenti contributed to this story.

Check back for updates on this developing story.