STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — A Staten Island home was destroyed in an early morning fire Friday, leaving three firefighters with minor injuries and neighbors shaken by the chaotic scene.
PIX11’s Cory McGinnis reports firefighters were called to the home on Norwalk Avenue just after 5 a.m. Crews arrived within minutes but were met with heavy smoke and intense flames that quickly engulfed the structure.
Air 11 captured dramatic images of thick smoke and towering flames ripping through the home before sunrise. By dawn, the residence was reduced to rubble, a child’s car seat, toys, and other personal belongings scattered among the charred debris. Even the siding of a neighboring house had melted from the intense heat.
Neighbors say they woke to chaos, rushing to alert others on the block as the fire spread.
“We tried to call everybody,” said one next-door neighbor. “When I moved the car, I started blowing my car horn so everybody would wake up because everybody was sleeping.”
Marie Nowel, who lives about three blocks away, described the terrifying sight that startled her family awake. “From my bedroom, or from my house, we can see,” she said. “My daughter woke me up and said you see the flame and I opened up my window, and the flame was really high.”
Nowel said the devastation has left her heartbroken for the family who lived there. “And the whole house is totally… what happened?” she said. Her daughter added, “When you completely lose your home, you have to start all over. How do you start all over?”
Make PIX11 your preferred news source on Google: Here’s how
Other neighbors remembered the displaced family fondly. “They were nice people, they always said hello, they’re pleasant,” said Rob Mazzarella. “I was so happy to hear that they weren’t home.”
Fire officials eventually brought the flames under control around 7:30, but not before significant damage was done. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
As of Friday afternoon, fire crews remained on scene, combing through the ruins to determine what sparked the blaze. Investigators are expected to remain there for the rest of the day to ensure all hotspots are extinguished. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.