Hicksville resident and retired Nassau County police officer Lawrence Bennett, 79, died June 25 from smoke inhalation as a result of what is believed to have been an electrical fire at his two-story Cape Cod on North Drive.

According to fire officials, after calling 911, residents in the vicinity attempted to pull Mr. Bennett from the burning house prior to the fire department's arrival but were driven back by the heat and smoke. When the Hicksville Fire Department, which received the 9:40 a.m. alarm for a house fire with people trapped, arrived on scene, heavy smoke and fire were extending from the sides of the home, said Chief Robert Chiz.

A total of 75 firefighters and eight pieces of apparatus from both the Hicksville and Bethpage Fire Departments were needed to extinguish the blaze, which was under control in about an hour. Once inside the home, firefighters found the body of Mr. Bennett in the living room, just a few feet from the front door.

According to Chiz, the fire originated in Mr. Bennett's living room and, although, as of press time, the exact cause was still under investigation by the Nassau County Arson Squad and Fire Marshal, the preliminary cause is believed to have been faulty wiring as a result of a space heater plugged into an improper extension cord.

To prevent such incidents, Chiz warns residents that, "When using appliances and any type of electronic equipment, they should make sure that they are using the proper size extension cords."

Mr. Bennett lived alone. No firefighters were injured but several were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.