Officials: Item on stove sparked fire

A pilot light ignited an item left on a stove, sparking a Glen Cove fire that injured 11 people Friday, including two firefighters, police and fire officials said.

Nine residents were treated for smoke inhalation, while a firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration, police and fire officials said. Another firefighter was injured when debris burned through his boot, Glen Cove Fire Chief Anthony Tripp said.

The fire in apartments above a row of stores on Glen Street was reported at 12:26 a.m., police and fire officials said.

Six apartments and three businesses were damaged, Tripp said. Two of the apartments were gutted, while others had smoke and water damage, he said.

The fire left dozens homeless, Tripp said. City Hall was opened as an emergency shelter and the Red Cross was helping the displaced find housing, he said.

Tenants packed up what was left of their belongings late Friday morning.

Manuel Galiano said he fled in his pajamas and was fortunate to evacuate the building with his wife and daughters, ages 2 and 6.

"When I saw the fire, I woke up and came downstairs," said the pizza maker, 24, as he and a neighbor loaded up a landscaping truck with strollers, mattresses, instant noodles and other items that could be salvaged.

"People were in deep sleep, especially a lot of the landscaping guys who come home dead tired," the neighbor, Cesar Villalobos, 32, said as he helped Galiano.

The two men said a tough road lay ahead as families searched for places to live.

"It's gonna be difficult," Villalobos said.

Police said the fire was reported after a resident saw heavy, black smoke coming from his stove. He fled the building with his wife, son and grandson. Tripp said an investigation found that a pilot light ignited an item left on the stove.

The common ceiling over the apartments helped spread the fire, Tripp said.

More than 100 volunteers from Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Locust Valley, Jericho, East Norwich, Syosset, Roslyn and Glenwood responded. Glen Cove EMS also was on scene.Tripp said firefighters fought the blaze for about an hour and remained until 5 a.m.