4 children suffer smoke inhalation in Riverhead basement fire, 2 hospitalized
A basement fire filled a Riverhead home with smoke Wednesday afternoon, sending two children to the hospital after they suffered smoke inhalation.
Two other children were injured by the smoke, but were not hospitalized. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
The fire began about 4:40 p.m. in a single-story residence on Fairway Avenue off East Main Street while a family was inside the house. The blaze started in the basement and sent grey smoke throughout the house, fire officials and witnesses said.
Riverhead firefighters, police and ambulance volunteers rushed to the scene. Firefighters carried hoses through the back door of the house to reach the fire in the basement.
Meanwhile, Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps crews cared for the injured family members. Four children between 8 years old and six months old were inside the house at the time of the fire and suffered smoke inhalation, said Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps chief Joseph Oliver.
Mr. Oliver said two of the children were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for further evaluation. The mother of the two other children didn’t want them taken to the hospital, he said.
By 5:15 p.m. the fire was under control. The Riverhead Fire Marshals are investigating the basement fire.
