Suffolk police rescue dog from Coram apartment fire

Suffolk County Sixth Precinct police officers responding to a 911 call reporting a child trapped in an apartment fire arrived at the scene Sunday night in Coram to find all the human occupants of the residence had managed to safely escape — but that the family dog was trapped in the upstairs apartment.

Police said the two officers, Anthony Martuccio and Justin Dimatteo, joined by an unnamed Good Samaritan, entered the apartment complex and managed to rescue the dog, which was reunited with the family.

The incident occurred at the Pinewoods Estates complex on Pinewoods Crescent at about 6:50 p.m., police said.

Police identified the dog only as an American bulldog mix.

Fire officials said Middle Island Fire Department, along with firefighters from four additional departments supplying mutual aid, all responded to the scene, extinguishing the blaze. Police and fire officials said no one was injured in the fire. It was not immediately clear how many people were displaced by the incident, though. Police said Arson Section detectives are investigating the cause.

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.”