Fire officials: Hoarding conditions made it challenging for crews to battle deadly Dix Hills house fire
Officials say they arrived just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to heavy smoke and flames in the basement of the home on Talisman Drive in Dix Hills.
More Stories
An early morning house fire in Dix Hills has turned deadly.
Officials say they arrived just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to heavy smoke and flames in the basement of the home on Talisman Drive.
Police say the homeowner, 85-year-old Barbara Dugan, made it out, but fire officials tell News 12 that hoarding conditions made it a challenge for firefighters to get inside.
According to police, the homeowner alerted them that her daughter lives in an apartment in the basement. They say officers and firefighters tried but could not get in there. They say they later found the victim in the basement.
"We saw people being taken out on the stretchers, but that's unfortunate," said Krys Dobrzanski, a neighbor on Talisman Drive.
Officials say the homeowner is being treated at the hospital and she is expected to be OK.
Three police officers and two firefighters were also treated for minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Officials say it does not appear to be suspicious.
The name of the victim was not immediately released.
