Police

Cops: Mother, son escaped unharmed from apartment fire

Riverhead firefighters breaking windows in an upper floor window at the Doctors Path Apartments Monday afternoon. (Credit: Michael White)
Riverhead firefighters break an upper floor window at the Doctors Path Apartments Monday afternoon. (Credit: Michael White)

Update 9:20 p.m. Monday: Riverhead Town police said in a press release that preliminary results of the ongoing investigation has determined the fire was “accidental.” The Red Cross also responded to the scene and assisted people displaced by the fire, police said.

Original story:

Town fire marshals are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in the second floor of an apartment building in Riverhead Monday afternoon, fire officials said.

No one was hurt in the 3:40 p.m. fire at the Doctors Path Apartments, said Riverhead firefighter Bill Sanok.

There was heavy smoke upon arrival, he said, which prompted volunteers to call for more support from firefighters, but the fire was brought under control rather quickly.

By 4 p.m., firefighters had broken the windows in the upstairs apartment and were tossing items to the floor below to clear the space of any still-burning debris.

A woman and a young man standing outside, who said they lived in the smoked-out apartments, said they were glad no one was hurt, though they declined to comment any further.

Mr. Sanok said the cause of the fire was not immediately clear, and that the fire marshals would make that determination.

Volunteer ambulance workers were also called to the scene, though they weren’t needed.

About 40 firefighters responded to the fire.

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