Cops Save Man, Grandson From New Year's Eve House Fire

Photo: Brian Saphire

A fire ravaged a North Amityville home Wednesday morning, but the situation could have been far worse if not for Suffolk police officers Michael Maio and Adam Quinones.

The First Precinct officers were on patrol when they observed smoke coming from the home located at 86 Miller Ave. at about 8:40 a.m., police said.

The officers alerted a resident, 82-year-old James Brown, who was unaware that the house was on fire, and helped him evacuate from the home, police said.

Maio then returned to the home to look for other occupants and located Brown’s grandson, 13-year-old Tizia Gibbs, in a rear room of the home, police said.

Due to heavy smoke conditions, Maio was unable to see Gibbs and had to use verbal directions to guide the teen to safety, police said.

Maio was treated for smoke inhalation at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. Quinones, Brown and Gibbs were not injured, police said.

Following a preliminary investigation, the cause of the fire appears accidental, police said.

Multiple fire departments–including North Amityville, North Lindenhurst, East Farmingdale and Copiague–helped extinguish the blaze, which took about an hour to place under control.

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