Elderly Man, Firefighter Hospitalized From Melville House Fire

An elderly man and a firefighter were hospitalized after a blaze broke out inside a Melville home on Friday night.

According to fire officials, the Melville Fire Department responded to a fire at a Catherwood Crescent home at 6 p.m. About 50 firefighters aggressively attacked the blaze and got it under control within an hour. The home suffered extensive damage, officials say.

The elderly man, who was the homeowner, was transported to Huntington Hospital for smoke inhalation while a Melville firefighter was taken to Plainview Hospital for treatment of heat exhaustion.

The Suffolk Police Arson Squad and Town of Huntington Fire Marshal are investigating the cause of the blaze.

The Melville Fire Department received assistance from the Huntington Manor, Dix Hills, Plainview and East Farmingdale fire departments. The Melville Rescue Squad had four ambulances and a paramedic unit on the scene for EMS support. All units were under the command of Chief Jason Bernfeld and Assistant Chiefs Chris Nolan and David Kaplan.

Photos by Steve Silverman