The Long Island home of Mike Breen, longtime play-by-play announcer for the New York Knicks and ESPN's NBA coverage, has been destroyed in a huge fire.
The news was first reported by TMZ. The Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department, which later confirmed the fire to TMZ, reported to Breen's home at 4:03 a.m. to find a "fully involved" house fire. The fire department posted a photo on Instagram which shows the entire structure engulfed in flames.
Breen and his family (as well as their dogs) were not in the house at the time, and were unhurt. He asked his friend and fellow New York broadcaster Michael Kay to talk about the fire on Thursday and pass on some information.
“Mike and his wife Roseanne, they were in California finishing up a vacation before he starts the NBA season,” Kay said via Awful Announcing. “They got a call right before they were getting on a plane that something had happened to the house. It burned down to the ground. Everything destroyed. No personal memories are left.”
“The reason he asked me to say this is that so many people have reached out and he’s in the middle of trying to get his life together dealing with insurance companies, trying to get clothes that he can wear on the air next week when the NBA starts,” Kay continued. “So he just wants everyone to know within the sound of our voice, he considers himself absolutely blessed for the people that have reached out and asked to help.”
Breen, 61, has been calling Knicks games for 30 years, and has been ESPN's lead NBA announcer for 16 years. ESPN sent their best to Breen in a statement released to the New York Post.
“Mike is a cherished member of the ESPN family and he knows he has our full support through this excruciating circumstance. We know the damage is devastating, and at the same time, we are grateful that he and his family are safe.”
