Residents, pets safe after East Islip house fire, officials say

Firefighters battled an early morning house fire in East Islip on Monday, Suffolk County police and fire officials said.

All residents and pets inside the home were evacuated safely. However, officials said there were minor injuries — but could not immediately say how many or whether those injuries were to firefighters or residents.

Police said the fire on Simmons Drive was reported in a 911 call at 6:19 a.m.

The caller said an oil burner was on fire at the home — and described the house as “engulfed” in flames.

A fire official said firefighters from East Islip and Islip, as well as ambulance crews from Bay Shore, Islip Terrace and Islip Exchange Ambulance, all responded. The official said firefighters had mounted “an exterior attack,” meaning the fire had made an interior search all but impossible. It was later determined that all had been safely evacuated from the home.

Officials said Arson Squad detectives and a building inspector were at the scene.

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.”