Off-Duty Police Officer Helps Rescue Neighbors From Burning House

An off-duty Suffolk County police officer helped rescue a family of four from a house fire in Centereach Friday night.

At about10:50 p.m., 12-year-old Caleigh Anson alerted her father, James Anson, a 7th Precinct COPE (Community Oriented Police Enforcement) officer that a house across the street from their house was on fire.

Caleigh called 911 and Anson rushed to his garage and retrieved a ladder, then placed it near the second story window of 2 Minto Court where homeowners Jason and April Noon were screaming for help. The front of their house was fully engulfed in flames at the time.

Anson climbed up the ladder as Jason and April Noon passed their two boys ages 7 and 5-years-old to the officer. Anson passed the children to two Sixth Precinct Gang Unit officers, who brought them to safety.

Anson then helped rescue April Noon. Jason Noon went down the ladder by himself. A firefighter rescued one of the family's dogs, which was transported to Selden Animal Hospital in apparently good condition. A second family dog died at the scene.

Two neighboring houses were damaged from the fire.

Firefighters from Centereach, Stony Brook, Setauket, Coram, Selden, and Ronkonkoma fire departments responded.

Google Maps photo: The home on Minto Court in Centereach that caught fire.

Jason Noon, April Noon and their two children as well as a firefighter who suffered an ankle injury were all transported to Stony Brook University Hospital by Centereach Fire Department Ambulance with non life-threatening injuries.

Arson Squad detectives and the Brookhaven Town Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire.

Photo by Tom Doyle