longisland

An elderly man was killed in a fast-moving house fire in Locust Valley Friday.

Family members tell News 12 Long Island that Peter Zukas had just returned to his home on Second Avenue after having lunch with his brother-in-law.

Moments later, a fast-moving fire ripped through his house, trapping him in the back porch.

Neighbor Edwin Vega tried to rescue Zukas by grabbing a garden hose to put out the fire, but he says when he got there it was too late.

Vega and firefighters say the flames were intense.

Family and friends say the 81-year-old was a retired Nassau County police officer. They say he was a friendly man who will be missed.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

An elderly man was killed in a fast-moving house fire in Locust Valley Friday.    Family members tell News 12 Long Island that Peter Zukas had just returned to his home on Second Avenue after having

Long Island

LI | Weather

LIFORECAST

I'm meteorologist Rich Hoffman through hyperlocal weather forecast. The rest of today. A little breaks of sunshine. We have a couple of spotty rain or snow showers moving on through. We've had a few flakes flying out over the east end. Now, through the rest of today, still that chance of a rain or snow shower. Now, in Huntington through this evening it's cold. We top out to a high of 41. By the time we're coming home from work around five o'clock, 39 degrees, we're in the thirties, skies will clear overnight and tomorrow morning, cold temperatures around 25 to 30 degrees. So out the door today this afternoon, 41 degrees, it's cold that rain and snow shower, wind chills have been in the twenties and thirties. So if you're outside the gloves, the hat, the warm boots and also the scarf and keep yourself warm. The rest of today, take a look. Now, tomorrow. So it's cold today. Tomorrow, the chance of a rain or snow shower in the afternoon hours of Thursday, a high of only 40 to start off hot for Thursday night, slight chance of a rain or snow shower early and then overnight hours of Thursday into Friday, skies will start to clear and weather will be improving on your Friday. How about a temperature near 50 degrees? So, changes coming our way towards the weekend, Saturdays dry Sunday. We're watching the storm. It will have strong winds and the timing of the rain looks to be during the afternoon and evening hours of Sunday. If it gets delayed a little bit more, it's more towards Sunday night. So the threat of some brief heavy rain, Sunday night into early Monday morning and some strong winds, we could have winds on Sunday night, 40 to 50 MPH. Recapping today. Temperatures, low forties that rain in passing snow shower tonight, turning colder lows 25 to 30. It's a cold start to your Thursday morning. Saturday looks good at 54. Then that rain and wind Sunday night into Monday morning.

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Peter Zukas, 81, dies in fast-moving house fire in Locust Valley