Hauppauge FD-fatal house fire on Townline Road

January 21, 1978 Fire reported in the evening hours during a blizzard. Fire was a result of Dr. John Tozzi and his two sons (John Jr, 10 and Paul, 7) removing carpeted floor tiles in the basement with acetone. The liquid ignited when the boiler kicked on. All 3 were trapped and burned. Hauppauge fighters Alfred Jardin, Greg Gottlieb and Randy DeSantis made their way to the basement without SCBA and removed the 3 victims. The two boys succumbed to their injuries, John Jr that night at Smithtown General Hospital and Paul on February 12th. Patricia Tozzi, 30 was burned when she tried to enter the basement with a fire extinguisher. She went back upstairs, grabbed their two year old son and baled out a window. The 3 firefighters all received fireman of the year awards for this very dangerous rescue. Photo in 1-26-1978 Smithtown News and Mention in 5-11-1978 Smithtown News. Newsday January 23, 1978. Paul Death notice is in 2/13/1978 Newsday.