Woman, 32, ID'd In Fatal Suffolk House Fire

DIX HILLS, NY — A 32-year-old Dix Hills woman died in a house fire early Wednesday, Suffolk police said. A dog also died in the fire, police said.

The fire started just before 3 a.m. on Carlls Straight Path, police said.

The blaze broke out in a cottage behind the home, where Tanya Bathija, the daughter of the homeowners, lived, police said. Two patrol officers and a sergeant tried to enter the cottage but were repelled by the fire. They were brought to Stony Brook University Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The father, who woke up to work out, called 911 but could not get into the cottage, News 12 Long Island reported.

Police said the cause of the fire appears to be non-criminal after an early investigation.

Bathija earned her MBA in accounting and finance from Baruch College before opening a Dunkin' Donuts in Bellport, Greater Long Island reported. She had a second one in the works for Blue Point.

A teacher once asked Bathija what she wanted to be when she grew up.

"I want to be my dad," Bathija answered as she once told Greater Long Island.

Ben Bathija, her father, became a Dunkin' Donuts franchisee in 2002 after working in the garment industry in New York City for more than 20 years, Greater Long Island reported.

The Dix Hills, Deer Park, Commack and Greenlawn fire departments responded to the house fire. Four firefighters suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, said public information officer Steve Silverman.

The first firefighters to arrive aggressively attacked the blaze. Around 60 firefighters and rescue personnel brought eight trucks and two ambulances to the cottage, with Chief Joseph Williamson directing the efforts to douse the flames. Suffolk Fire-Rescue Coordinators were also at the cottage helping.

Dan Panico, Councilman for the Town of Brookhaven's sixth district, wrote on Facebook that Bathija was "beaming with pride when we cut the ribbon on her brand new Dunkin store in North Bellport."

"We spoke about her transition from college at F.I.T. to her MBA and how she planned to put all that she learned in school, and from her father Ben, to work on her own business ventures. Her father is building the Dairy Queen locally in Mastic and owns other Dunkin franchises in our area. My heart goes out to Ben and his family for a tragedy beyond words. May God help them in their time of need and rest the soul of Tanya whose life ended far too young."