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Subscribe to RSSIn a 240-degree view, more than 100 homes in Breezy Point lie in ruin following a blaze during Hurricane Sandy. (David Friedman / NBC News)
NBC News investigative reporter Bill Dedman reports on the close-knit community's experience of the fire:
In a community where firefighters are demigods, where a memorial at the end of the point honors more than 30 residents who lost their lives at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, three companies of volunteer firefighters were overwhelmed by flooding and an inferno that destroyed more than 100 houses. Yet they fought the elements all night, saving many people and protecting houses on the perimeter of the burn zone, including the home of a 9/11 widow.
David Friedman / NBC News
Breezy Point residents return to their devastated homes after Hurricane Sandy and a massive fire during the storm that destroyed over 100 tightly packed homes.
David Friedman / NBC News
Kieran Burke's son's ride-on toy fire truck sits among the ashes of his Breezy Point home.
NBC News reporter Miranda Leitsinger talked to resident Kieran Burke, who was looking through the ashes of his home:
“This is heartbreaking,” he said. “Being a fireman, it’s even more heart wrenching because, you know, you’re used to being on the other end of this, you’re used to being on the end where you help people. And even Monday night, my first reaction was to get over here and help somebody. I had no idea my house was in peril.”
A chimney is now all that remains of Burke’s home. He sifted through the charred remains, finding a few things to salvage: A memento from a trip to the Bahamas with his wife, some favorite beer from Hawaii and his son’s metal fire truck. Gone were his fireman gear and his old fire department magazines, though firefighters found a steel beam he had saved from his time at Ground Zero.
David Friedman / NBC News
A collection of movies and music lies on the ground in Breezy Point.
See more images from Hurricane Sandy in PhotoBlog and in this slideshow.
Leave a Comment:
We're all pulling for you as a nation New Jersey and New York. Count on it. :)
Let's all drop politics when it concerns storm relief. This is more important.
All of the homes in Breezy Point are former bungalos. The homes are so small and next to each other that if a fire were to occur the local Fire Dept would need to respond promptly and with force otherwise the fire would spread to other homes. The storm pretty much was the clincher here because it paralyzed the Fire Dept.
As a kid I used to ride my bike 15 miles from my home in Brooklyn over the Marine Parkway bridge to the jetty tip to go fishing there. Breezy Point is a beautiful place and a treasure because NYC is often dirty, overdeveloped and overrun with people.
Thank God the Borat DVD was spared!
Sad to see this total devastation of such a classic beautiful neighborhood.
I am sadden by all the devestation. As crass as it may sound, the people who's home burned are the lucky ones - their homeowner insurance will cover them and help them rebuild their lives. Flooding is not covered unless you bought flood insurance. People without flood insurance are in for a long struggle to rebuild.
As I found out living in Florida...flood insurance doesn't cover storm surge. You need a rider to your homeowners policy for that.
Lived there from 73 till 78, this breaks my heart.