RSS 2.0 FeedAugust 26, 2010, Cover Stories, Bellmore Life
Fire kills Bellmore woman
Over 50 firefighters fight Bellmore blaze that claimed the life of a 42-year-old woman.
DEADLY inferno: This fully engulfed house early Sunday morning at Corydon Avenue claimed the life of KerryAnn Dudley, 42, after the Bellmore Fire Department responded to a call of a fire with victims trapped inside. The flames and heat were so intense firefighters could not enter the house. Heat scorched the sides of houses next door, but it took more than 50 firefighters under an hour to get the blaze under control. An investigation is ongoing. Photos by Vincent Scaduto
by Vincent Scaduto
A Bellmore homeowner was killed in her house by a raging fire early Saturday morning, August 21, at 2:33 a.m.
The Bellmore Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at the intersection of Croydon Drive and Abbey Court in Bellmore with people trapped inside.
Within three minutes of the alarm, First Assistant Chief Robert Taylor arrived on the scene, took charge and confirmed that homeowner, KerryAnn Dudley, 42, was inside the fully engulfed house at 55 Croydon Drive.
“There was very little chance to gain entry into the house because of the intense heat and flames,” Assistant Chief Taylor told Bellmore Life of his attempt to enter the house.
Prior to the full department response, the heavy volume of flames burned the inside stairs, causing a partial collapse of the second floor of the two-story private dwelling. First on the scene was Engine 603, which aggressively attacked the front, while Ladder 606 stretched additional lines to the rear of the home.
Assistant Chief Taylor said that when first arriving, the houses on either of the house were showing signs of igniting, and the first units had to “act aggressively” to keep them from catching fire.
The houses suffered exterior damage from the heat, but suffered no structural damage.
Assistant Chief Taylor also sent a unit of firefighters into the back of the house to gain entry, but that unit was also repelled by heat and flames.
Fearing further collapse, the first crew of firefighters was recalled from their interior attack and a defensive posture was taken.
Additional Bellmore units included Engines 601 and 602, Heavy Rescue 607 and Ambulances 6011 and 6012. “Between 50 and 75 firefighters were on the scene” battling the blaze, the assistant chief said. One Bellmore firefighter was transported to Nassau University Medical Center to be treated for minor burns and released.
The fire took just under an hour to contain, the chief continued.
Units of the North Bellmore and Merrick Fire Departments assisted Bellmore at the fire scene, and units of the Wantagh, North Merrick and East Meadow Fire Departments stood by at Bellmore Fire Headquarters.
Additional support was supplied by two Nassau police ambulances and numerous police officers. Most of the units were released by 7:30 a.m. Remaining Bellmore units stayed on the scene during investigations conducted by Nassau County Fire Marshals and Nassau police Arson Squad. A Nassau police report said that Ms. Dudley died at the scene. It also said the fire is believed to be accidental.
- Vincent Scaduto is the public information officer for the Bellmore Fire Department.