Elderly woman dies after evacuated from fire at Uniondale apartment, Nassau police say

A 75-year-old woman went into cardiac arrest and died following a fire last weekend in Uniondale, Nassau County police said.

The identity of the woman was not released.

Police said the fire at the Park Gardens apartments, located at 840 Uniondale Ave., was reported in a 911 call at 1:50 a.m. Sunday. First responders arrived to find "smoke coming from the building," police said.

Police and firefighters from the Uniondale Fire Department were able to evacuate all residents, police said. But police said the 75-year-old female resident then went into cardiac arrest, was transported to a hospital, and was pronounced dead.

An officer also was transported to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.

Police said initial indications are that the fire was not suspicious, but said the investigation is continuing.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”