Police Help Rescue Four People From Brightwaters Fire

The fire that ripped through the Jon Thomas Inne in Brightwaters early Thursday morning could have been a lot worse if not for the actions of officers from Suffolk County Police's Third Precinct. 

According to police, officer Kevin Scheibe was on patrol when he noticed smoke coming from two vents at the historic restaurant located at 91 Howells Road at 3:12 a.m.

Scheibe and responding officers Joseph Tassa and Edward Swenson attempted to gain access to the building as there were people in the six apartments on the top floor of the establishment at the time, police said. 

When the officers tried to get inside, they were repelled by flames emanating from the building so Tassa ran to his vehicle and pressed on his horn to alert the residents until a man came out of the building and let the officers in, police said.

The officers went up to the second floor amid heavy smoke and notified the three remaining residents to evacuate. The Bay Shore Fire Department, with a hand from the West Islip Fire Department, responded and extinguished the fire. 

One person was treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation. No one else was injured in the blaze. The cause of the fire has not been determined and Arson Squad detectives are continuing to investigate.