By Irene Spezzamonte
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., — Firefighters are always on alert, even when they are not wearing their uniform.
That was the case for an off-duty firefighter who barged into a home that was on fire in Eltingville on Friday morning.
The firefighter was walking in the vicinity of Preston Avenue and King Street when he saw the blaze at 356 Preston and immediately gained access to the house to verify no one was inside, according to the FDNY chief at the scene.
A civilian passing by phoned 911.
The house was empty at the time because owner Michael Moschello was dropping off his 3-year-old twin sons at school.
“I was in St. George when I received a phone call saying that my house was on fire,” Moschello said.
“I am glad no one was hurt,” Moschello added.
The house suffered damage on both floors and Moschello doesn’t know if, in less than a week, his family will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving in their home.
“We have nowhere else to live until I fix the house,” Moschello said.
The fire, which started on the first floor of the house, was reported at 9:49 a.m and taken under control at 10:23 a.m., an FDNY spokeswoman said.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and two of them were transported to the Staten Island University Hospital in Prince’s Bay, the spokeswoman said.
Among the injured was the off-duty firefighter who was the first on the scene, according to the chief.
The cause is still unknown and the investigation is ongoing, the FDNY spokeswoman said.
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