CARMEL, N.Y. – A veteran police captain, his wife and two teenage daughters died in a house fire in New York City's northern suburbs Tuesday morning, authorities said. One son managed to escape the blaze and was hospitalized.
Larchmont police Sgt. Ronald Knudson identified the dead as Thomas Sullivan of the Larchmont police, his wife, Donna, and their two daughters.
The son managed to escape from the burning Carmel home in Putnam County, about 60 miles north of New York City, and was hospitalized.
"His son was the only one who made it out, in a family of five," Knudson told the Journal News. "His wife and two daughters perished with Tommy. His son is in the hospital and we don't know his status."
The Carmel Police Department said in a release that a 20-year-old male resident was able to escape from the house and was being treated for smoke inhalation at a hospital.
Firefighters responded to the Wyndham Lane house around 1 a.m. in response to a 911 call from a neighbor.
The blaze was so intense that it melted the siding of two nearby homes and prevented firefighters from entering, said Carmel Police Chief Michael Johnson.
Firefighters from Lake Carmel, Mahopac and Brewster assisted in bringing the fire under control at around 5 a.m.
Sullivan is a 15-veteran of the Larchmont police department. He had previously served six to seven years with the New York Police Department.
"He was a dedicated law enforcement individual, an extremely great family man," Knudson said. "His life revolved around his family and his job."
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Information from: The Journal News, http://www.lohud.com
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Information from: The Journal News, http://www.lohud.com
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