Centereach FD-Fatal fire at the Lake Grove School

February 5, 1958 Fire reported at approximately 0100 hours. Fire in a dormitory on the east side of Moriches Road in Centereach FD. 40 students and 5 faculty members were within the building at the time of the fire. Two students were hospitalized with burns and other injuries. Brookhaven Town Police state that the deceased was Emil Custer of 106 Walton Avenue in the Bronx. Injured were Ted Griffen 17, of Brooklyn and Miguel Alvarez, 15 of New York City. Griffen, a senior, who was credited with heroic action for leading a group of younger students from the smoke-filled building, was taken to Mather Hospital for treatment of lacerated feet and burns about the face. Alvarez, a freshman, suffered burns to the arms, back and hands as well as a broken leg believed to have resulted from his jumping out a second floor window. Many of the other students also jumped from the 2nd floor in subfreezing temperatures. Close to 300 firefighters from six departments (Centereach, Ronkonkoma, Holtsville, Holbrook, Lakeland and Nesconset) fought the fire in the wood frame building. The building was destroyed. Smithtown News 2-6-1958