Copiague house fire reportedly started by unattended hookah pipe engulfs home

All residents were able to escape, without injury, from a fire that badly damaged a home in Copiague on Monday night, police said.

Suffolk police said the cause of the fire was not immediately known. Citing fire officials, News 12 Long Island reported that the fire was caused by an unattended hookah pipe.

The fire at the home on Verrazano Avenue was reported in a 911 call at 7:18 p.m., police said.

Firefighters from Copiague and North Lindenhurst battled the blaze in subfreezing temperatures.

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.”