Firefighter hurt battling Medford blaze, officials say

One firefighter was injured, suffering a minor head wound, while battling a blazing house fire late Thursday on Robinson Avenue in Medford, Suffolk County fire officials said.

The fire was reported in a 911 call at 10:58 p.m.

Firefighters from Medford, Farmingville, Holtsville, Yaphank, Hagerman and North Patchogue responded.

Officials did not immediately release the department the injured firefighter serves with, but said the head injury was the result of the firefighter being struck by an iron bar.

Additional details were not immediately available but, officials said, the firefighter was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue for treatment.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brookhaven Town fire marshal.

Earlier Thursday night, firefighters from three departments — Holtsville, Medford and Selden — battled a fire on Arden Lane in Farmingville, officials said.

The cause of that fire also is under investigation.

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.”