Dix Hills family escapes predawn house fire

A house fire apparently caused by embers from a built-in pit on a deck forced a Dix Hills family from its home and caused extensive damage early Thursday, the Dix Hills Fire Department said.

A family member noticed the fire about 4:50 a.m. on the backyard deck of the house on Illinois Street, said Dix Hills Fire Chief Robert Adcock, and the mother, two sons and a nephew were able to escape the house unharmed.

"One of the homeowners apparently tried to extinguish the fire, but it spread from the deck up the rear of the house into the second floor and attic," Adcock said.

The house had extensive damage to its rear wall from fire and water, firefighters said.

In addition to Dix Hills, other departments responding included Greenlawn, Deer Park and Wyandanch. A total of 60 firefighters on seven trucks extinguished the fire in about an hour, Adcock said.