Mother, son killed when fire tears through home in Smithtown
SMITHTOWN, Long Island (WABC) -- A mother and her son were killed when a fire tore through a home on Long Island.
It happened Sunday afternoon just after 3 p.m. on Fifty Acre Road in Smithtown in a house where three tenants rented rooms from an elderly man who also lives there.
The homeowner was taken to the hospital and is recovering from smoke inhalation.
A tenant is believed to be one of the victims who did not survive. She is described as a middle-aged woman. The other victim is believed to be her young adult son.
The other tenants were not there at the time and came home to the tragedy.
"By the time I got home here, the whole house was engulfed," said Stephen McNally.
McNally knew then that everything in his rented room was probably gone.
"I seen them throwing a mattress out the window. So everything burned," he said.
The 91-year-old homeowner had gotten out, but the firefighters were still trying to account for another tenant.
"We made a very aggressive effort to get to the victims. Unfortunately, two individuals have succumbed to the injuries," said St. James Fire Department Assistant Chief Daniel Keegan.
Residents believe the victims were a woman and her young adult son.
"She works 12 hours a day. This is her day off. She doesn't leave the room," said Anthony Capasso.
Her roommates did not know her well. She had only lived here a few months, but on weekends her son was with her -- a young adult with special needs.
It took 80 firefighters from several departments just under two hours to get the fire out by about 5 p.m. Sunday. One firefighter suffered a minor injury.
The investigation is underway into what caused the fire. The surviving residents wonder what happened and whether their roommate and her son had any warning.
"I just wish, you know. And they said it was fast because the fire was downstairs again. She wasn't going out a window or nothing like that," Capasso added.
The surviving residents say the 91-year-old homeowner smoked cigarettes every day in the living room, so they are naturally wondering if the fire was a tragic accident.
Suffolk County Police arson and homicide investigators are on the case since there were fatalities.
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