Port Washington Man Honored For Saving Neighbor In House Fire

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — A Port Washington resident has been honored for his life-saving heroism after his helping rescue his neighbor who became trapped in a burning home.

Over the summer, a fire swept through the home of Scott Trimarchi's neighbor. The neighbor and his dog became trapped on the upper floor as the fire burned through the home.

Trimarchi helped rescue the neighbor and his dog. For his efforts, Trimarchi on Sept. 25 received a proclamation of recognition in honor of his heroism, officials announced Monday. The ceremony was held at the Town Hall.

Judi Bosworth, the North Hempstead supervisor, Dina De Giorgio, a North Hempstead council member who represents the Port Washington area, and town board members helped honor Trimarchi.

Trimarchi told Patch in a Facebook message Tuesday it felt "nice" to be recognized. He added: "I also feel that what I did that day, my neighbors would have done the same thing for me."

Flames damaged two homes and about 100 firefighters were sent to the homes on New Street, Newsday reported at the time. Trimarchi called 911, grabbed a ladder out of his garage and propped it up to his neighbor's home. The neighbor tossed his German shepherd out of the window to Trimarchi, who caught the animal below. The neighbor then climbed out the window and down the ladder to safety.

A short time later, flames jumped to Trimarchi's home.

"You could breathe the smoke in, and you could feel the flames everywhere," Trimarchi told WABC-TV. "It was just slow-motion - just go through the motions to get this guy out of his house, try not to panic, you know?"

James Hickman of the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office said the neighbor would've been seriously hurt by the time firefighters could get to him.

"The way that fire was moving and the volume and intensity...it wouldn't have taken long," he said.

Instead, the neighbor suffered minor injuries.

Trimarchi's home sustained "extensive" smoke and water damage, he said, as well as fire damage on the entire side that abuts his neighbor's home.

Fire engulfs a house at Fifth Avenue and New Street in Port Washington ⁦@Newsday⁩ pic.twitter.com/1GjKFyMxn3
— Ken Schachter (@kschach) July 26, 2019