Two people were rescued and taken to the hospital following a fire in Glen Cove Friday morning, police say -- a scene they now consider a crime.
Police say one man is in critical condition and while they haven't commented on the cause, police say they believe the fire at 18 Raymond St. to be criminal in nature.
Officials say the call came just after 9 a.m.
Two people trapped in the building were rescued by Glen Cove firefighters and police, according to officials. One was transported by helicopter with serious injuries and burns, and the other sustained serious injuries and was transported by ambulance.
Glen Cove police say one victim remains in critical condition in NUMC's burn center. Another victim was treated for smoke inhalation and released, and police say they found the third resident sometime later in Glen Cove. They say he was not home when firefighters arrived at the scene.
The building's homeowner told News 12 she's been renting the house out for 30 years and found out it was on fire by an alert on a Ring doorbell camera. She says she got to the scene fast.
The homeowner says neighbors assisted police and firefighters by grabbing a household ladder and trying to get to the second floor.
"Could've been a lot worse ... we made the grab, getting the victim out was a home run, and he's in serious condition but still undecided," says Glen Cove fire Chief Marvin Tate.
Fire officials say the blaze was brought under control in about an hour.
Police are considering it a crime scene and have not said if that resident of the home is a person of interest.In total, 10 departments and 50 firefighters were on the scene, along with police.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of the story said three people were rescued, according to the Nassau Fire Marshal's Office. Police now say two people were rescued and a third person is unaccounted for.