Fire Rescue Drama in Roslyn Estates

By Joe Scotchie

A quiet November afternoon in Roslyn Estates was shattered by a fire which featured dramatic rescues of a mother and her young child by a contractor working at a neighboring house.

Volunteer firemen from both Roslyn Highlands and Roslyn Rescue battle the still-smoldering blaze.

Weary firemen take a break while surveying the wreckage.

The fire took place Tuesday, Nov. 11 at around 2 p.m. at the Nigam residence on 8 The Locusts. According to Steve Mockler, Roslyn Highlands chief, the fire started on the house's first floor. It soon spread upstairs where Mrs. Nigam and her one-month-old son were sleeping. Smoke from the fire woke her up, but by then, the ongoing fire made it impossible for her to go downstairs.

Fortunately, Terrence Dolan, a Glen Cove-based landscaper working at a residence next door to the Nigam's noticed the fire. He climbed a 6-foot fence and also saw Mrs. Nigam who by now was standing by an open window and holding her young child out of it.

At first, Mrs. Nigam wanted to throw the baby down to Mr. Dolan. However, Mr. Dolan insisted that she wait while he looked for ladder. Fortunately, he spotted a large warehouse-type ladder and dragged it approximately 20 yards to the rear of the house. He set the ladder up and climbed to the second floor window. There, he brought the baby down, laid him on the ground and climbed back up to rescue Mrs. Nigam. Both mother and child were transported by a Nassau County Police Department ambulance to North Shore Hospital. Both are doing well, with neither suffering adverse effects from the smoke.

Meanwhile, the fire continued to cause considerable damage to the house. Luckily enough, volunteer firemen from the Manhasset-Lakeville department saw the smoke and raced to the scene. By then, firefighters from both Roslyn Highlands and Roslyn Rescue had received their own alarms.

While firemen from both of the Roslyn fire companies, along with the Manhasset force, battled the blaze firemen from both the Sea Cliff and Albertson companies stood guard on villages covered by the Roslyn firehouses. The Glenwood fire company also supplied an additional unit.

In all, there were up to 15 pieces of equipment and 100 volunteer firemen on the scene. Working together, the companies had the fire under control within 30 minutes. However, the house did sustain approximately $200,000 worth of damage. A Nassau County fire marshal arrived to investigate the cause of the blaze which is believed to be electrical, caused by an electrical power outlet strip. The fire had a chance to spread because both mother and child were taking a nap.

One Roslyn firefighter sustained a minor burn and was treated on the scene. Chief Mockler hailed Mr. Dolan as a "true hero" for his quick thinking and actions which saved the lives of Mrs. Nigam and her son.

-- Lewis J. Ungercontributed to this story.