Chief: Firefighter Injured While Battling West Ave. Blaze

A Patchogue Fire Department firefighter was injured while battling the Sept. 18 fire that destroyed a West Avenue home that was later discovered to have been occupied by squatters.

Joe Perry, the department’s chief, told Patch that the officer was taken to the emergency room that day. Perry said Suffolk County Police are investigating the fire and have not issued a cause as of this time.

Perry said the fire was reported at 4 p.m. and that the department had finished battling it at 6:13 p.m.

As previously reported, the home was later discovered to have been abandoned for a year before the fire took place and occupied solely by squatters. No one else was injured in the fire, but Patchogue Village is urging residents to try to report homes that may be illegally occupied or unsafe.