Signal 10 House Fire - The Knolls

At 2:08 AM on Wednesday, April 22, the Locust Valley Volunteer Fire Department was alerted to a report of smoke coming from the rear of a building on The Knolls in Locust Valley. A second call indicated that the rear of #2 The Knolls was fully engulfed with flames. Upon arrival of Chief Jeffrey Baker, a signal 10 (the signal used to confirm a working house fire) was transmitted for a 2 & 1/2 story private dwelling (unoccupied) with heavy fire in the rear. 1st arriving Engine 544, under the direction of Captain Akapnitis, pulled a hoseline and forced entry in through the front door of the home. DC Scaperotta oversaw the operations inside the building. Tower Ladder 546 pulled up to the front of the building and setup ladders on all sides of the building. The crew vented the structure's windows and roof by cutting a hole with a saw.

DC Nolan oversaw the outside operations and directed the crew of 2nd due Engine 545 to pull a hoseline to the rear of the structure. The team on the second line knocked down the fire which was progressing up through the roof and into the eaves of the home. Locust Valley was supported with mutual aid from Glen Cove for a FAST Team, Oyster Bay with an additional ladder truck, Bayville with an additional engine and Glen Cove EMS with an extra ambulance. No one was injured during the incident. Chief Baker credits the quick and immediate actions of our department for extinguishing this blaze before it had advanced to the entire structure. Nice job by the Valley's Bravest and surrounding mutual aid companies.