Family In 'Immense Need' After Westhampton Beach House Fire

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — A community is coming together to help a woman and her daughters who lost their belongings in a Westhampton Beach house fire Thursday.

The fire broke out at an empty home, fire officials said. No injuries were reported, officials said.

According to the Westhampton Beach Fire Department, the fire was reported at a Griffing Avenue home at 10 a.m.

The day after, friends are rallying to help. Fainne Sheehan of Westhampton Beach created a GoFundMe page, "Family Loses Everything in a House Fire."

"My best friend, Keira, lost everything in a house fire in Westhampton Beach on March 24," She wrote. "I am raising money to help Mary Falvey and her two daughters after they lost all of their belongings in the fire. Thankfully, nobody was inside the home at the time, but now, more than ever, they need our help."

She added: "Any donation will help and is greatly appreciated. I hope we can pull together and share with them during their time of immense need."

Second Assistant Chief Larry Saccente and Third Assistant Chief Jeff Wachenfeld, who were first on scene, reported heavy smoke coming from a second-floor bedroom window, officials said; Chief Mauro DiBenedetto took command upon his arrival.

Firefighters entered through the front door and the hose team was able to use the interior stairs to get to the bedroom, where they quickly extinguished the fire, officials said. While they were working the interior, two firefighters maneuvered the department's ladder truck's bucket into position so that they could step onto the roof and use a chain saw and other tools to cut two ventilation holes in the roof, officials said.

The task was made more difficult by "extremely slippery" conditions created by a covering of moss on parts of the roof, officials said.

Westhampton Beach Fire Department volunteers responded with three chiefs, two engines, a ladder truck, and a fire police vehicle. The Quogue Fire Department, the Eastport Fire Department, the East Quogue Fire Department, Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance, the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Westhampton Beach Police Department, and fire marshals from Southampton Town and the Village of Westhampton Beach responded.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, officials said.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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