Manhasset-Lakeville Responds To Heavy Fire Throughout Vacant Plandome Manor House

On Saturday, June 7th, 2014 at 2:45PM, Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department Companies 1, 2, 3 and the Ambulance Unit were dispatched to a reported house fire on Gristmill Lane in Plandome Manor. Deputy Chief Kiess (8701) was the first unit to respond and was advised that FireCom was receiving multiple calls, all reporting a house fire. Deputy Chief Kiess arrived on scene a few minutes later and immediately transmitted a “Signal 10” for a working fire.

After completing a 360-degree size-up, Deputy Chief Kiess reported that he had fire throughout the vacant 1 ½-story ranch-style home with heavy smoke pushing from the attic vents. Engine 8735 was the first piece of apparatus to arrive on the scene and a 1 ¾” hose line was immediately stretched into the private dwelling. After a few minutes of operating, conditions inside began to rapidly deteriorate and Deputy Chief Kiess withdrew all members from the building and instituted an exterior attack. Shortly after withdrawing all members, a large section of the roof suffered collapsed. 

Multiple hand lines and the ladder pipe on Quint 8728 were used to extinguish the fire. The Port Washington Fire Department responded as the initial Firefighter Assist and Search Team (F.A.S.T.), but was put to work almost immediately and was replaced by the Roslyn Fire Companies. Manhasset-Lakeville Company #4 was also added to the assignment for additional manpower and responded with Tower Ladder 8744. Numerous neighboring fire departments, including Garden City Park, New Hyde Park, Great Neck Vigilant, Great Neck Alert and Bellerose, either sent mutual aid units to the fire scene or provided stand-by coverage in the Manhasset-Lakeville firehouses.

The Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office is actively investigating the cause and origin of the fire. Two Manhasset-Lakeville Firefighters were transported with minor injuries to a local area hospital. The incident was placed under control within two hours and all units were released from the scene by 6:00pm by Manhasset-Lakeville Chief of Department Michael Farrone.