Long Island Woman Saved From Raging House Fire

A Long Island woman was awakened to a house fire and safely escaped thanks to the heroic actions of her neighbors, a mother and her teenage son. The incident occurred on Leighton Court in Melville on Tuesday, with cellphone video capturing the intense flames.

Neighbors Spring Into Action

Jovani Moss, 15, and his mother, Natechia Campbell-Moss, were alerted to the fire and immediately responded before emergency services arrived. “I was on my phone and I didn’t notice the fire at first,” said Moss. “But I heard the crackling of the fire and I turned to look and called my mom: ‘Should I go there and get the lady out of the house or should I call 911?’”

Dramatic Rescue

Campbell-Moss instructed her son to call 911 and then ran to the neighbor’s house, entering without hesitation. “I started to kick the door. And I kept kicking the door. Finally I got it ajar a little bit, and all of a sudden I saw her standing there and I grabbed her and said ‘Your house is on fire!’” she recounted.

Homeowner Briefly Re-entered Burning Building

Despite the danger, the homeowner attempted to retrieve her cat and some jewelry. “She said wait a minute my cat, she wanted to turn around to get her cat I said no, don’t get your cat,” said Campbell-Moss. “And she went back to grab some jewelry that she had.” Both the homeowner and Campbell-Moss then stood safely on the lawn as firefighters battled the blaze.

Fire Department Response and Investigation

More than 50 firefighters from the Melville Fire Department and surrounding areas responded to the scene. Melville Fire Chief Don Barclay stated the fire was largely contained to a rear living room space. The Suffolk Police Arson Squad and fire marshal are currently investigating the cause of the fire. It remains unclear if working smoke detectors were present in the home.

Teen Hero and Proud Mother

Jovani Moss, a freshman at Half Hollow Hills High School East, is a student of the month – recognized for his academic achievements, not yet for his bravery. “Pretty brave, when I first saw it I was like, she’s brave!” Moss said of his mother’s actions. Campbell-Moss expressed immense pride in her son, stating, “He was aware of what was going on, so I’m very proud of him.”

A Reminder of Vigilance

Fire Chief Barclay emphasized the importance of awareness. “Be aware. Be aware of your surroundings pick your head up for one second, anything can happen in one second,” he cautioned.