'Grateful': Neighbors Thank Hero Firefighters For Saving Their Home

SOUTHOLD, NY — A home was gutted by flames in a Southold fire early Sunday, officials said. And now, a grateful couple who lives next door to where the fire broke out is thanking hero firefighters for saving their own house.

According to fire officials, the fire broke out at the home on the Goose Creek Lane extension at 3:32 a.m. The home was vacant and no injuries were reported, officials said.

The massive fire took almost four hours to extinguish, with firefighters still wrapping up at the scene at 8:10 a.m., officials said. The home engulfed by the flames, "with only one wall left standing," one official said.

The Southold Fire Department was assisted by the Greenport, Mattituck, East Marion, and Cutchogue fire departments.

Kathy and Tom Maher own the home next door to where the fire broke out. "The firemen saved my house on Goose Creek Lane, and probably others, as well. The house that burned to the ground is only about 20 feet from our door," Kathy said.

Tom Maher said he woke up at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday to "what sounded like an explosion. I immediately went to my bedroom window and the house next door was in flames. The fire seemed to be moving from the back of the house to the front. I quickly got dressed and called 911 at 3:32 a.m. while leaving my house."

The flames, he said, were about 20 feet away from their home. "I could feel the heat through my windows and hear the fire," Tom said.

He added: "I was shocked by the fire — how close it was and how quickly it was moving. By the time I got out to my road, the house was almost fully engulfed. There were no cars in the neighbor’s driveway and the house was dark all day, so I knew no one had been home, which was a relief. I was sure it would jump to my house and I would see my house burn up, as well."

By the time Tom got out of the house, fire personnel had already begun to arrive in their personal vehicles. Southold police were there, too, he said — and an officer asked if there were anyone, or any pets, in his house — and if he had seen anyone next door.

"Within minutes of getting out of the house, fire personnel and police had arrived on the scene. The pumper trucks arrived shortly after and began stringing out the hoses. Goose Creek is a long, unpaved road with no hydrants, so the fire crews had to drag hoses a few thousand feet up to N. Bayview for water. While it was clear that the burning house could not be saved, I heard one of the firemen direct a crew to keep soaking my house with water to ‘save this property’ while they continued to fight the fire. They managed to do both — put out the house fire after several hours of constant work, and save our house. For that we are incredibly grateful."

Kathy was at the couple's other home when the fire started. She told Patch how it felt, to get the call from her husband.

"No one calls at 3:30 a.m., with good news, so I knew something was wrong before I answered. I don't scare easily — and I wasn’t afraid because as long as my husband Tom was out of harm’s way, it’s all good. Relationships with family and friends matter — material things can be replaced."

When the fire was out and only ashes remained, the Mahers reflected on the deep dedication of the first responders. "I thought about how unbelievably brave the firefighters are, and how they risk their lives to keep the community safe. It’s hard to put into words how important and selfless their actions are," Kathy said.

The next day, the couple decided to send food from Biggie's as a "thank you" for the firefighters' incredible heroism.

"It was just a small gesture to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication," Tom said.

The firefighters, Kathy said, doused the side of their home facing the fire, as well as the roof, with water. "My husband is pretty sure the fire would have to our home and beyond if it hadn’t been for the quick thinking and exceptional work of the volunteers," she said.

Looking back at the night, Tom said he knew a few of the fire and police personnel who raced to the scene. "But the vast majority were strangers," he said. "To have the dedication to leave your own homes and families at 3:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning to go fight a raging fire down a long dirt road for people you don’t even know is truly incredible. That they do it as volunteers makes it even more so. "

The couple added: "We are grateful and truly appreciate their dedication and service. The damage could have been astronomical if the fire had spread to our house and beyond."

Although the blaze was fierce, so, too, was the heroism shared by all the firefighters that turned out in force. Knowing that the volunteers stand at the ready to serve so selflessly, the Mahers said, "feels safe. We are lucky to have courageous people who run toward danger to save people’s homes and lives."

They added: "People who run out into the night to put out fires represent the best of us. There’s a quote that says, 'You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.' We know who these people are by what they do — they protect the rest of us. Their actions save us. They deserve recognition and appreciation for how they respond to our calls for help."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, officials said.