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Smithtown FD-Fatal house fire on Burham Drive

March 20, 1971 Fire Reported at 0333 hours. 12 Burham Drive. This was a two story wood frame single family dwelling.
From Smithtown News Article:
An electrical wire shorting on top of a hot water pipe (as reported) was not the cause of a fire this morning (Saturday) that took the lives of a Smithtown man and his two teenage daughters.
Smithtown Chief Building Inspector Harvey Manuel-who toured the burned-out shell of the two-story house with officials from the State Board of Fire Underwriters-told THE NEWS that the inspection team has ruled out the wire-water pipe theory. The fire did not start that way, Manuel declared.

Articles appearing in the daily press earlier this week said Suffolk Police attributed the fire to the blistering and shorting of an electrical cable-an electrical wire shorting on top of a hot water pipe leading to a second floor base board heating unit. The fire did not start there stressed Manuel who indicated that it may never be known how it did start. The damage was so extensive there are so many possibilities.

Killed in the blaze were John V. Oliveau Jr, 42 and two of his daughters, Jeanne Marie, 17 and Linda Anne, 16. Linda was to have been given a surprise Sweet Sixteen party the night of the fire.
Manuel termed the publicity attached to the police report unfortunate in that it may have unduly alarmed owners of identical houses in the Legend Woods development where the Oliveau house was located. There are 130 homes in the subdivision which was constructed by Robert Legendare. The Oliveaus purchased the house approximately 2 years ago. Manuel suggested that worried homeowners contact the state board at 90 John Street, NYC. The Board will make a complete check of the wiring for a small fee, he explained.

Mrs. Jennie Oliveau, 45 managed to escape the fire which was reported at 0333 hours. Her two sons, John III and Edward Charles, also escaped. A third daughter, Carolyn, 13 was at a party at a friends home. Oliveau and his two older daughters were pronounced dead of smoke inhalation on arrival at St. Johns and Smithtown General Hospitals. Mrs. Oliveau was treated for minor burns at Smithtown General Hospital and released.

Oliveau, born in Mineola, was a merchandising salesman. Daughters Jeanne and Linda were both students at Smithtown Central High School. In addition to the immediate family, they are survived by Oliveau’s brother Norman of Connecticut; a sister, Mrs. Dorothy Collins of Centereach; and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Victor Oliveau, Sr of Greenwich, Connecticut; as well as Oliveau’s grandmother, Mrs. John P Oliveau of Pallisades, CA.

Rosary services were held on March 23rd at the O.R. Davis Funeral Home in Smithtown. Mass of the Resurrection was offered on March 24th at St. Josephs Roman Catholic Church in Kings Park followed by burial in the Long Island National Cemetary, Pinelawn.
Photos in 3-25-1971 Smithtown News. Article in the Smithtown Messenger 3-25-1971.

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