Inwood firefighter who died after battling Woodmere fire mourned

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A fire department on Long Island is mourning the death of a volunteer firefighter who was critically injured battling a blaze last week.

Bunting is hanging from the Inwood Fire Department in honor of 43-year-old Joseph Sanford, Jr.

On Wednesday, a solemn procession of firefighters followed his body as it was taken from the hospital. The ambulance carrying his remains was escorted by dozens of his comrades as it traveled from from North Shore University Hospital to the Nassau County Medical Examiner's office.

"It hits everybody extremely hard," Garden City Park Fire Department Assistant Chief Mike Magas said. "It's a volunteer service. Any loss, whether paid or volunteer, is tough, especially around the holidays. It's extremely difficult on the family and his fellow firefighters."

His widow, Jackie, was too emotional to speak to reporters after leaving the Medical Examiner's Office in East Meadow.

"I really can't right now," she said. "Thank you."

Sanford was a longtime volunteer with the Inwood Fire Department, 17 years to be exact, and he had once served as assistant fire chief.

He suffered fatal injuries while responding to a house fire in Woodmere last week.

"No one better to fight, crawl down a hallway with, knowing he was in front of you or behind you, pumping that line," Inwood Fire Chief Anthony Rivelli said. "Just a gutsy, gutsy, gutsy guy."

Rivelli says Sanford's death has really hit the small Inwood Fire Department rather hard. But seeing the trucks lined on Community Drive from departments all across the area made them realize they aren't alone.

"The outpouring of support we saw this morning was overwhelming," he said. "We all broke this morning. It's probably one of the worst days of my life right now."

Sanford leaves behind his wife and grown daughter. An online campaign to raise money for the family that began with a goal of $2,500 has generated more than $32,000.

Funeral arrangements for Sanford have not yet been planned.

Sanford died Tuesday, five days after he fell through a compromised floor while battling the fire last Friday. The flames broke out in the basement of the empty home on Central Avenue just before 4 a.m.

Officials say the floor collapse sent Sanford, who was one of the first on the scene after the initial 911 call, plummeting into the basement.

It is unclear if other firefighters even knew he was inside, as his lifeless body was found accidentally by other firefighters making their way through the house.

He was in cardiac arrest, but firefighters were able to revive him.

The fire required 13 departments from Woodmere, Inwood, Lawrence- Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Elmont, Hewlett, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne, Meadowmere, Oceanside, Rockville Centre and Valley Stream, with 200 firefighters and 20 pieces of apparatus to extinguish the fire.

Two other firefighters suffered minor injuries.

The homeowner declined to comment other than to express sympathy for Sanford.