The Westhampton Beach Fire Department was called out
for a smoke investigation in the area of Waters Edge
Court and Stevens Lane in Westhampton Beach at
approximately 11:35 Sunday. During his search of the
area Chief Darryl Schunk discovered a working structure
fire on East Division Street and advised FireCom to put
out a call for a working structure fire. The firefighters who
arrived on the first due engine came upon a fully involved
two story wood frame house with a garage below. It was
immediately determined that the occupants had
evacuated the home and Chief Schunk decided that with
heavy smoke and flames there was nothing to do but to
fight the fire from the exterior. It took more than an hour
before most the flames were extinguished. The remaining
time on scene was taken up with overhaul, which entailed
searching for and extinguishing any residual flames in the
walls.
Two young men, Marcus LeBrun, (a graduate of the fire
department’s juniors program) and Isaiah Ortiz, who were
having lunch at the nearby village marina, had rushed to
the house before the fire department’s arrival after they
saw a great deal of smoke coming from the structure.
They were able to convince the couple living there, who
were unaware of the fire, that they needed to evacuate
immediately, which they did after gathering up their dog.
Almost simultaneously village police officers arrived and
also called the alarm in to fire dispatch. The Westhampton Beach
firefighters were assisted at the scene by volunteers from
East Moriches, Eastport, Quogue, and East Quogue. A
crew from the Hampton Bays Fire Department stood by at
the Westhampton Beach Sunset Avenue firehouse. A
Suffolk County Fire Rescue Coordinator assisted on
scene as did police officers from Westhampton Beach
and Quogue Villages. Ambulances from the East Moriches
and the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance were on
scene as was the Southampton Town Fire Marshal.
One firefighter and one occupant of the house were
transported to the Peconic Bay Medical Center with nonlife
threatening injuries.