Story and Photos by Ex-Captain Steve Grogan

 

On night of June 2, 2015, Lynbrook firefighters, under the command of Chief James McDermott, responded to a reported house fire at 40 Noble Street after one of the residents in this three-family house reported that smoke was coming from the walls.  The house was built in the early 1900's and is one of Lynbrook's oldest homes.  Lynbrook police Sergeant Carl Lengel, also the Second Assistant Fire Chief, was on patrol and was first on the scene.  After first determining that all the occupants were safely out of the house, Sergeant/Chief Lengel knocked down the fire with an extinguisher from his patrol vehicle.  The fire, however, was still moving along the ceiling and up the wall into the third floor breaking out in the wall behind the kitchen stove.  Truck Company was first on the scene quickly followed by Hose Company.  Hose Company members took a line to the door while a second was brought up by members from other arriving companies.  Truck Company pulled the ceiling and walls to get at the fire.  The fire was extinguished on the second and third floors with just one line.  Chief McDermott put the fire loss at about $50,000.  The fire was believed caused by the electrical wiring in a ceiling light on the second floor.  There were no injuries but the tenants were not able to return to the house due to the fire and water damage.