West Hills home damaged, but residents safely escape house fire, officials say

Fire damaged a home Wednesday night in West Hills, but not before residents in the house safely escaped, fire officials said.

The fire at the home on Cold Spring Hills Road was reported in a 911 call at 9:25 p.m.

A Huntington Manor Fire Department spokesman said in a statement that more than 50 firefighters with six trucks responded to the scene to find an unspecified number of residents "safely outside the home with an active fire on the garage level spreading to the second floor."

Firefighters, under the command of Chief Frank McQuade, had the blaze under control within about 30 minutes.

The Huntington Fire Department Rapid Intervention Team, as well as emergency personnel from the Greenlawn Fire Department, also responded to the scene.

A crew from the Huntington Community First Aid Squad provided emergency medical support at the scene, as well.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Suffolk County police Arson Squad, as well as the Huntington Town Fire Marshal's Office.

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.”