North Lindenhurst fire: Five people and a pet dog rescued from burning house

Five people and a dog were rescued from a burning house in North Lindenhurst early Saturday morning, Suffolk County police said.

A man, woman, three children and a pet dog were trapped as flames and smoke poured out of the house on 45th Street near Sunrise Highway, fire and police officials said.

Suffolk police officers who were nearby sprang into action at 2:08 a.m. after receiving the 911 call, police said.

Two First Precinct Crime Section officers found a ladder in the yard and, together with a third cop, used it to climb to the second floor, helping the victims and dog get out safely, police said.

A downstairs tenant escaped through a ground floor rear exit, said Kenneth M. Stallone Jr., the chief of department at the North Lindenhurst Fire Department.

Firefighters also were on the scene battling the blaze as it swept through the front of the two-family residence into the second floor and attic, Stallone said.

“There was a large volume of fire,” Stallone said. “It took off across the length of the house."

It took three hose lines, multiple truck companies and about an hour to get the fire under control, Stallone said.

John Debacker, an animal advocate, searched for and found a cat belonging to one of the residents after the fire was put out. 

"The owners called and people were messaging me on Facebook if I could help and I went over today and I looked around. It took around five minutes to find her," he said.  

Fire officials do not suspect criminality but the Babylon Fire Marshal's office and Suffolk County Police Department's arson squad will investigate. The investigation is routine when the cause remains unknown, Stallone said.

With Brianne Ledda