Hauppauge home destroyed by fire, Suffolk officials say

A Hauppauge home was destroyed by a raging early morning fire Friday that took volunteers from four departments almost two hours to bring under control, Suffolk County fire officials said. There were no reported injuries.

Officials said the fire at the Joyce Drive home was reported at 2:06 a.m. and that firefighters arrived minutes later to find the house engulfed.

Two occupants were in the house at the time of the fire, Hauppauge Fire Chief Robert Wind told News 12 Long Island on Friday morning. The chief said he talked to the occupants at a neighbor’s house after their escape and “they’re just grateful to be out.”

The fire was declared under control at 3:55 a.m. — and volunteers were on the scene until 4:34 a.m.

The cause of the blaze, which gutted the structure, is being investigated by the Suffolk police Arson Squad.

The home is on Joyce between Don Lane and Jane Road. Firefighters from Hauppauge, Central Islip, East Brentwood and Nesconset all responded, as did crews from Central Islip Ambulance and Commack Ambulance.

Additional details were not immediately available.

Property records identified the owners of the home as Charles and Deborah Cardillo.

A neighbor told News 12 Long Island that the owner is the Manhasset schools superintendent. Manhasset Superintendent Charles Cardillo, who announced his retirement earlier this year, could not be reached for comment Friday. The district also declined to comment.

With Joie Tyrrell

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.”