2 firefighters injured in Central Islip blaze

Two firefighters suffered minor burns Monday afternoon as they helped put out a blaze in a vacant house in Central Islip, Suffolk police said.

Flames at 5 Pinetop Dr. were reported shortly after 3 p.m., police said.

The house had been boarded up, and the owner, a woman from Patchogue, complained that squatters had been breaking in, a Central Islip fire dispatcher said.

Despite the efforts of volunteers from three departments -- Central Islip, Brentwood and East Brentwood -- the house burned down, police said. Central Islip fire officials said Hauppauge and Islip Terrace departments also responded.

The injured firefighters were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital and released, authorities said. One firefighter had second-degree burns on his foot and the other was burned on the knee, the Central Islip fire official said.

Arson squad detectives are investigating, police said.

No other details were immediately available.