L.I. Mother Dies In Tragic House Fire

BELLMORE, N.Y. (CBS 2) -- The Nassau County's Fire Marshal's Office was on the scene Saturday, trying to determine what sparked a deadly overnight house fire on Long Island, CBS 2's Magee Hickey reports.

The victim, a mother of two, was believed to have been home alone when the fire broke out just after 2:30 a.m. in a house on Croydon Drive.

Her 14-year-old son was with his father, and her 6-year-old daughter was down the block with friends.

The woman who died was very well-liked in the neighborhood. "Just a wonderful bunch of neighbors on this block. We stick together in times like this. It's just a tragedy. I'm going to miss them," said neighbor Maria Kany.

Asked about rumors there was quite a delay between the call reporting the house fire and the firefighters' response, Chief Robert Taylor of the Bellmore F.D. answered: "Naturally two minutes seem like two hours when something like this is happening, but I can guarantee you I was here within three minutes of the alarm going off."

The chief could not say where the woman's body was found, nor could authorities identify her. All was under investigation until authorities could notify her next of kin.