Cops: 'Group effort' rescues Mastic man from house fire

A Mastic man remained hospitalized Sunday after being rescued through a "group effort" from an accidental fire at his home Saturday, authorities said.

Suffolk County Police, the Mastic Fire Department and neighbors were involved in the rescue of Christopher Murphy, 48, from his Meadowmere Avenue home, authorities said.

A 911 call that came in at 5:30 p.m. prompted the response from a "lot of people who arrived simultaneously: the 7th Precinct, firefighters who lived nearby and neighbors," said Det. Sgt. Bruce Tilden of the Suffolk Police Arson Squad. It was a "group effort there to get Mr. Murphy out."

Tilden said Murphy was rescued through a first-floor window. He said Murphy's wife, Janet, 47, and son, Sean, 14, got out of the house on their own. Police said they were treated for smoke inhalation.

Seventh Precinct Sgt. Frank Leotta, who responded to the scene along with Officers Lorin Cirincione and Joseph Riviello, said they arrived to find a Mastic firefighter who lived in the neighborhood trying to get Murphy out. "It was a coordinated effort by everybody," Leotta said.

"It was a great effort on the part of the fireman who happened to be home," Leotta said of the firefighter he knew by surname only: Brown. "He made the initial contact with the victim. Without his help, things may have turned out differently."

Mastic Fire officials could not be reached Sunday.

Christopher Murphy was taken by county police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center, where authorities said he was in stable condition.

Tilden said the fire originated in the basement and was caused by a malfunction in a large fan. "Something overheated," Tilden said, adding it was unclear whether the problem was with the fan's motor or wiring.