Nobody was injured in a Great Neck Estates house fire on May 29, but two domestic pets died from smoke and toxins inside the home.
Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company Chief Josh Forst said the fire erupted at the home on 16 Ridge Drive East because of an overloaded electrical strip.
Forst said the first call alerting the department of the fire came in around 8:30 p.m.
Within minutes, he said, First Assistant Fire Chief Joshua Charry was on the scene.
Forst said one of the family members heard the fire alarm and alerted the rest of the family to get out of the house.
Since the home was built in 1923, he said, the fire did not spread rapidly because of the older materials that made up the home.
He also said that the homeowner had sprinklers within the house that helped keep the fire from spreading.
While the family was able to get out of the house safely, he said, two pet birds died from smoke and toxins in the home caused by the fire.
Forst said the fire was under control about an hour after the initial alarm.
The interior of the home suffered minor damage, he said.
Forst said it was a “great coordinated effort” between the Vigilant Fire Company, Great Neck Alert Fire Company, Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department and Great Neck Estates police to control the situation and put the fire out.
