January 5, 1984 0322 hours. Fire reported at 0322 hours. From the NY Times. The Nesconset Fire Department is dispatched to a reported structure fire at 240 Smithown Blvd. Arriving firefighters encountered heavy fire in a two and one half story wood frame dwelling on the property of William Simon Garden Supplies. Firefighters were advised that at least one teenager was trapped inside. Crews made 3 attempts to rescue the youth but were pushed back due to the intense fire. Prior to the fire, six boys were partying while the parents of the host, William R Simon, 17, grandson of the garden supply store owner, were on vacation.
Police said one of the boys told them that they were drinking beer and peppermint schnapps. When the fire broke out, four of the boys were sleeping and the others, including Simon, had gone out to try and buy more beer, police said. Three of those sleeping made it out safely and then discovered that the 4th was still inside. Two of the boys went back in after him, but were removed by firefighters. Police said that the victims body was too badly burned for immediate positive recognition. He was identified as Danny Ostrov of 941 Town Line Road, a sophomore at High School East. Chief of Department Ross Huffer, who was also OIC, stated that the fire reportedly started in the kitchen and it may have been electrical. The Suffolk Arson squad says fire is undetermined by not chemical related.
Nineteen firefighters and four police officers were treated for smoke inhalation due to the pesticides and weed killers being stored in the basement.
Dean Waller, 16 who was in the house at the time of the fire, said he was awakened to his friends yelling ‘get out, the house is on fire”. He stated that he jumped out the window onto a porch and then climbed down a tree. He said that the walls and ceilings were already on fire. Other boys told him that the stairs leading down from the 2nd floor, had already collapsed. Waller ran to his home on Roosevelt Avenue and his father Kenneth called police. Mutual aid was provided at the scene by the St. James, Ronkonkoma and Smithtown Fire Departments. It took 90 minutes to place the fire under control. The boys body was located at approximately 0440 hours.
The other youths who escaped were Sean Buteau 17 and John Dixon 18 also of Roosevelt Avenue. The youth with Simon was Charles Loh, 15 of 27 Nichols Road. The property owner, William Simon said that the house was occupied by his son William Jr and daughter in law, Patricia, who were vacationing in Jamaica. . The Fire building was where the CVS Drug store is now.
Be First to Comment