Long Island house fire that led to firing of NYPD couple still under investigation
Multiple fire departments work to put out the house fire on Mailtland Street in East Meadow on Sept. 19. Credit: John Scalesi
More than three months after a fire that heavily damaged the East Meadow home of a former NYPD lieutenant and his ex-police officer wife, resulting in their ouster from the force, the blaze is still under investigation, according to a top Nassau County fire marshal.
Nassau fire marshal Chief James Hickman said in a telephone message on Thursday that the Sept. 19 blaze at the home on Maitland Street is considered to be of undetermined origin while the review continues.
Following the fire, Javier Rodriguez, 43, who had been a decorated lieutenant in the NYPD, and his police officer wife, Tanya Rodriguez, 45, were fired by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch after a department investigation determined that they refused to answer city police questions about the blaze.
In separate decisions issued in October, Tisch dismissed the couple following recommendations by a department trial judge handling the cases that they be fired.
NYPD internal affairs investigators were brought into the case after Tanya Rodriguez reported that her husband had disappeared after the fire. Javier Rodriguez was finally located on an Amtrak train near Baltimore and brought back by NYPD officers to New York.
Initially, Nassau County officials said the fire might have been electrical in nature. According to the department decision that resulted in Javier Rodriguez’s termination, an NYPD internal affairs investigator stated that Rodriguez and his wife had a dispute prior to the fire. The nature of the dispute and whether it was connected to the fire wasn’t stated in department records.
An internal affairs investigator said Javier Rodriguez was "suspected of possibly setting the fire" and that his wife was deemed a witness, according to the NYPD disciplinary records that resulted in the couple leaving the force.
Neither Javier Rodriguez nor Tanya Rodriguez appeared at their respective departmental trials and were tried in absentia, NYPD records showed. Neither could be reached for comment Friday.
Javier Rodriguez had a 20-year career with the NYPD, which resulted in numerous awards for meritorious police service, including a medal for valor, the third-highest award in the department. He served in a gang investigation unit.
Tanya Rodriguez was also a 20-year veteran, and at the time of her dismissal had been with the Queens patrol borough.
Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.
Snow totals may be less across the South Shore A winter storm is expected to pummel LI as artic air settles in across the region. NewsdayTV meteorologist Geoff Bansen has the forecast.
Snow totals may be less across the South Shore A winter storm is expected to pummel LI as artic air settles in across the region. NewsdayTV meteorologist Geoff Bansen has the forecast.
