Congressman's home in Queens burns down

WASHINGTON (AP) - The home of New York congressman Bob Turner was one of about 80 in the Breezy Point neighborhood of Queens that burned down during the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy.

The Republican lawmaker said in a statement that, along with many other Breezy Point residents, he had lost his home. He expressed gratitude that he and his family were safe after the destructive storm.

The cause of the blaze was still under investigation.

Turner won his seat in the Queens and Brooklyn area in a special election after Democrat Andrew Weiner was forced to resign because of a text-messaging scandal. His district is about to be eliminated because of redistricting and he ran unsuccessfully to be the Republican candidate for the Senate in the race against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.