Cops: Woman Dies in Gold Coast Mansion Blaze

An early-morning blaze at a Gold Coast-era estate claimed a woman's life Thursday, according to Nassau County Police.

The homeowners of the Lattingtown mansion woke at 4:20 a.m. Thursday to the smell of smoke and saw that a cottage attached to the house was on fire, detectives said. With heat and smoke consuming the cottage and preventing them from getting inside, the homeowners then called 911, cops said.

75 firemen from 12 surrounding fire departments, including Locust Valley, descended on the scene and were able to extinguish the fire, which had already spread to the main area of the house, police reported.

"The weather was a big hindrance," Locust Valley Fire Chief Brian Nolan told Newsday, saying fire trucks kept getting stuck in the snow in the driveway. "We had about six to eight inches of snow out there. It was snowing heavily."

Firefighters battled the blaze for seven hours before it was brought under control, said the report.

Responders found the body of a woman who is believed to be the homeowners' daughter, confirmed the Nassau County Fire Marshall and arson/bomb squad.

The woman's identity is being withheld pending an investigation by the Medical Examiner.

Officials said no criminality is suspected at this time, but that the investigation is ongoing.

Three firefighters and a police officer sustained minor injuries and were sent to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The 14,000-square foot estate at 357 Lattingtown Road was once home to Isabel Dodge Sloane, a 1920s heiress, and opera singer Patrice Munsel, according to Newsday.