Firefighters Risk 'Life and Limb' in Conklin Street Blaze

Another Farmingdale Fire Claims Life

By Marta E. Kane

Just nine days after a man was found dead in his car in a fire in South Farmingdale, another fierce blaze took the life of a man in Farmingdale it swept through a multi-family home on Conklin Street in the village, right across the street from St. Kilian Church.

Upon arrival, firefighters immediately entered the house to try to save a man reported to be trapped inside.

According to Farmingdale Fire Department Chief John Salerno, firefighters rushed through the blaze with no regard for their own lives when hearing that a victim was trapped on the first floor of the building.

"This was certainly a tragedy - the [man] was trapped," Chief Salerno said, noting that the preliminary report from the Fire Marshal's office was that the fire started from the vent fan in the bathroom. Being a balloon construction house, he added, the fire traveled quickly, trapping the residents in the bathroom on the first floor. The chief added that the windy conditions that evening also caused the blaze to spread rapidly. However, despite the incredibly dangerous conditions, firefighters quickly entered the house upon hearing that somebody was trapped inside.

Due to the old construction of the house and the windy weather conditions, the blaze spread rapidly through the basement, first and second floors of the home. Photos Courtesy of Barbara Geary

"The first 10 minutes of the fire, I had three firefighters go down with second degree burns," Chief Salerno noted. "The guys just heard that someone was trapped and they dove right in to try to save him. Without thought of life and limb, risking their own lives, they dove right in."

The chief noted that there was a total of 10 firefighter injuries and one civilian injury outside the house. The man trapped inside, who was later confirmed to be 46-year-old Robert Snyder, was found in the bathtub of the first-floor bathroom, apparently where he was advised to go in the event that there was ever a fire in the house.

"He was trapped in the bathroom on the first floor - there was no window," Chief Salerno said. "That's exactly where we found him."

The multi-family house, located at 439 Conklin Street, also houses the Beauty Box Salon. Snyder was the only victim unable to escape the blaze. According to Salerno, the flames were already shooting five feet out the windows when firefighters arrived.

"Every guy from this department made heroic efforts to get [the trapped victim] out," Chief Salerno said. "They really went above and beyond - risking life and limb, ducking under flames - it was unbelievable. Eighteen years in this place - I've never been prouder."