'Prayers' Offered For Long Island Family After Devastating Blaze Rips Through Home

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The family of five was able to escape the house in time, but a pet cat was lost in the blaze, according to the family.

Firefighters recovered a dog that was found disoriented in the woods, and some small animals, possibly mice or gerbils that were in bins, and two cats were found limp, Barton recalled.

“The two that we brought out were not in good shape,” he said. “They were alive, but you know, again, a cat’s lungs are real tiny. It doesn’t take much.”

The cats were helped by emergency medical technicians from Port Jefferson Emergency Medical Services, according to Barton.

In a GoFundMe launched on Friday morning, one of the family’s sons, Jacob Dorsett, said that four of their cats have been hospitalized with burns and symptoms associated with smoke inhalation, and that one might require costly Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

Dorsett referred to the fire as “devastating.”

“Please do anything to help us as we simply cannot afford the vet bills, and we are all trying our hardest to do something about it,” he wrote.

His call for help was heard loud and clear, and the community generously pitched in.

The family’s goal was a little over $8,250, but in under a day, over 144 people contributed $10,000.

In an update, Dorsett said he and his family are “still in shock” and they are “extremely grateful” for everyone who has donated.

In another update, he said the family’s cat, “Snakey” is still hospitalized.

“He is struggling but we believe and pray he is going to make it,” he said, adding that he is on oxygen, which is costly. “Please help us as you guys already have done an amazing job.”

Another one of the family’s felines,” Cuddles,” a female, medium-haired tabby cat, has been missing since the fire, though she believed to be nearby in the neighborhood.

Neighbors have been actively searching for her, as well as some professional trappers.

Family friend Lisa Jaeger, a wildlife rescuer, has set out some of the Have-A-Heart traps she uses with the hope that “Cuddles” will get hungry and take the food out as bait.

There’s also dozens of flyers with her picture to spread the word.

“A lot of times, these cats will just run and hide and not move,” she said. “They usually don’t move for 48 hours because they are scared. They’ve never been outside, but what happens is hunger kicks in, and that’s when they start to venture out. So this next 48 hours is going to be critical.”

Cats in similar predicaments will run no further than two houses, and find the nearest porch to hide under, according to Jaeger.

Jaeger was not concerned about the rainy weather the past two days.

“The weather, I think, was a plus, because wherever she was, she stayed there,” she said. “The weather kept her in the area. If it was nice around, she might have wandered off a little bit more, but I think she’s in the area. I think we have a good chance of getting her.”

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Jaeger advised that if anyone sees her, do not to approach the animal and notify Jaeger, and she will move her traps to that location.

“She’s under somebody’s porch or in somebody’s barn and she doesn’t know where to go, but she’s going to get hungry, and when she does, he’s going to come out, and hopefully she’ll smell the food in the traps,” Jaeger said.

Family friend Brenda Eimer Batter said she learned about the fire after seeing a photo on Facebook and she immediately recognized the house as that of the family of her daughter’s friend from high school.

“I said, ‘Oh my gosh, that is the Dorsett family,'” Batter recalled.

Batter has been collecting gift cards for the family to help them get on their feet.

“A quarter of the house didn’t burn, but all the contents are waterlogged and smoke-damaged,” she said. “So they basically, literally, lost 100 percent.”

In the meantime, the family has been staying at Danford’s on the Sound courtesy of the American Red Cross, Batter said.

“At this stage of the game, because they’re still in shock and they haven’t found a place to live,” she said. “They don’t know what they need.”

Infant Jesus R.C. Church has been “incredibly generous,” by offering clothing, bed, sheets, and towels “once they find a place to live,” she added.

The gift cards have been very helpful.

“When you’re living in a hotel, there’s not necessarily a place to cook, so gift cards to local restaurants have been a huge help, because they can eat in, take-out whatever they want,” Batter said.

Employees at M&T Bank and Port Jefferson High School are also collecting toiletries and clothing.

Suffolk police initially said the fire began with a vehicle in a garage and that it spread to the home and some trees.

Barton said Friday that the fire also spread to some trees and separate crews had to handle them.
The fire was knocked down in about 45 minutes, said Barton, who noted that the typical fire takes around 40 personnel.

In this case, six additional departments were called in for mutual aid, including Mt. Sinai, Setauket, Selden, Terryville, Miller Place, and Stony Brook.

Firefighters were called back later in the day to dampen some smoldering vegetation, Barton said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined as it is still under investigation by the police, he said.

“You know our prayers are with the family, and we’re deeply saddened by the loss that they suffered,” he added.

He hopes it is “a little consolation that saving the rest of the house and rescuing the cats that did make it out softened the blow a little bit, but we’re deeply saddened by the loss that they suffered.”

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