Fire caused by electric menorah leaves West Hempstead house uninhabitable, officials say
Roughly 40 firefighters responded to a blaze at a West Hempstead home Friday, Nassau fire officials said. Credit: Lou Minutoli
A malfunctioning electric menorah started a fire in a West Hempstead house on Friday afternoon, leaving the home uninhabitable and prompting a response from four different departments, according to the Nassau County fire marshal's office.
The fire happened at a two-story house on Morton Avenue around 4:45 p.m. First responders encountered flames on the front porch when they arrived, according to the news release from Nassau's assistant chief fire marshal, Andrew Schmitt Jr.
Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said via text message the fire started when an electric menorah in the window malfunctioned, sending off sparks that ignited the curtains.
Roughly 40 firefighters with the West Hempstead, Hempstead, Elmont and Franklin Square departments arrived on scene. They were able to bring the fire "under control" within 30 minutes, Schmitt wrote.
Officials deemed the home "not inhabitable" following the fire. Credit: Lou Minutoli
The homeowner and a tenant were home when the fire began but evacuated on their own.
The news release said one person was medically evaluated but declined medical assistance. Uttaro told Newsday there were no injuries reported.
The fire was contained to one room, Uttaro wrote, but there is smoke damage throughout the first floor.
The news release stated that the house is "not habitable at this time" and that the "Red Cross is not needed." The Red Cross often helps shelter people who are displaced by house fires.
Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
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