By Bill Mason
Newsday
Copyright 2007 Newsday, Inc.
YAPHANK, N.Y. — An off-duty police officer and some good Samaritans helped rescue an 85-year-old man who kept returning to his burning Yaphank home to save his pets, officials said.
The fire badly damaged the home of Walter Sorensen on Middle Island-Yaphank Road, but there were no reported injuries to him, to his rescuers or to any of the animals.
“He was out of the house and kept trying to get back in,” Yaphank Asst. Fire Chief Michael Kennedy. “No one got hurt. That’s the main thing. “
Christian Schnoor, an off-duty Suffolk police officer, was driving by Sorensen’s home at about 12:45 p.m. when he saw the smoke, stopped and called 911, police said. Schnoor and others driving by - Wesley Mann, Willie Mann and Kasheem Mann, all of East Patchogue, and Dawerence Hutley of Bellport - ran to the rear and forced the door open, police said.
They found the kitchen engulfed in flames, but they managed to get Sorensen out.
Kennedy said Sorensen was trying to save the cats, dogs, rabbits and chickens he cares for.
The blaze, believed to be an accidental electrical fire, was brought under control in about 40 minutes, Kennedy said.