Fire Makes Group Home Uninhabitable for Disabled Residents in Melville

A group home for disabled residents in Melville was left uninhabitable after a fire broke out in the house Monday morning.

Members of the Melville Fire Department responded to the Old South Path residence at 8:15 a.m. to find an active basement fire in the single-story home. Three residents and four employees were safely evacuated, according to fire officials.

"Our firefighters began an aggressive interior attack which contained the fire to the basement," Melville Fire Chief Jason Bernfeld said.

Forty firefighters responded to the scene using five trucks. They had the blaze under control within a half hour. The fire gutted the basement and left the home uninhabitable. There were no injuries reported.

The cause of the fire appears to be accidental in origin but is being jointly investigated by Fire Marshals from the Melville Fire District, New York State Fire Prevention and Control and the Suffolk County Police Arson Squad.

The Huntington Manor, Dix Hills and East Farmingdale fire departments provided assistance at the scene.

Photos by Steve Silverman, Melville FD