St. James FD-Fatal house fire on Arlington Avenue

August 4, 1963 James Courbanou, 52 dies as a result of injuries suffered in a house fire. Courbanou suffered burns over 60 percent of his body and he died on August 6th at MacArthur Airport while waiting to be transferred via US Air Force plane to an Army burn unit in San Antonio Texas. Detectives from the 4th squad (there was no arson squad back then), found no evidence that Courbanou had any enemies that might have started the fire. Mrs. Courbanou told police that the couple was about to leave for the movies, when her husband smelled gasoline and went to investigate in the rented apartment in the back of the house. Mrs. Courbanou states that she heard a loud explosion and found her husband staggering in the garden outside the house, his clothing charred. Detective Sgt Robert Cavanaugh said that a man who lived with his wife int he rear apartment-but was away when the fire occurred-has agreed to take a lie detector test later this week. Cavanaugh said that the couple’s statement that they had left the house Sunday at 5PM had been confirmed. Mrs. Courbanou stated that her husband was burned at approximately 820PM. It had been hoped that the US Army burn center at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio could save Courbanou’s life. Rep. James R. Grover Jr. (R-Babylon) was called late Sunday night and asked to find out if Courbanou could be taken from Smithtown General to San ANtonio.
Grover obtained clearance from the US Surgeon Generals Office and an Army burn team headed by Lt. Col. Walter E. Switzer was dispatched in a plane equipped to render constant care to Courbanou during the return flight. Courbanou died as the ambulance carrying him arrived at the side of the plane just before 4AM.