Southampton Town police officers help rescue man from burning Hampton Bays home

Two Southampton Town police officers were treated for smoke inhalation after helping an elderly man who suffered minor burns escape from a Hampton Bays house fire Wednesday evening, police and fire officials said.

Around 9:20 p.m. the pair of Southampton police officers were first on the scene of a fire at a two-story house on North Road, according to Southampton Fire Department spokesperson Chris Brenner, a former chief. When they arrived, the officers spotted an elderly man trying to escape the burning structure through a second-story window. 

The home’s occupant, who officials have not identified, “climbed out” the second story window and onto a first floor overhang around 10 feet above the ground, Southampton Town Police spokesman Lt. Todd Spencer said.

In an effort to get the man down safely, one of the police officers entered the home to grab a mattress, which they placed atop an outdoor table and pushed against the building, Spencer said.

“One of the officers was able to get up on the roof with him and help the elderly gentleman down onto the mattress,” he added.

Brenner called the police officers’ actions “absolutely amazing.”

“To me, they’re heroes,” the ex-fire chief said. “They did a great job. I mean, who knows, the fire department was there so quick, but every second counts in a fire. They were very quick-thinking.”

The man was transported to a hospital for treatment of “minor burns” to his feet, Brenner said. Updates on his condition were not available Thursday evening.

Both officers needed medical attention for smoke inhalation, Spencer said.

“One of them actually went to the hospital and the other was checked out on scene," Spencer said. "They’re both OK ... I’m glad that they were in the position to help and had the wherewithal and quick thinking to be resourceful and manage to get the elderly man down."

Fire chiefs arrived at the scene within four minutes of the initial call, Brenner said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes. Bridgehampton, Hampton Bays and North Sea fire departments were all called for mutual aid.

Southampton Town fire marshals are investigating the cause of the fire, Brenner said.