On Thursday, July 17, 2008, a
late afternoon blaze started in the rear of a residence located
on Forest Avenue in Valley Stream. The fire resulted in
"multiple calls" to the Valley Stream Fire department. Black
smoke, visible for a mile, called for an immediate upgrade to a
"working fire." With mutual aid assistance from surrounding
communities, the VSFD battled the flames in the 90 degree
plus heat and put the fire down within 30 minutes. A resident of
the home reported that he had rescued his dog and, after three
attempts, managed to rescue his large pet iguana. No injuries
were reported.
-Fire News
photos by Larry Fox
Mamatina’s Deli fire
Just before 5:00 a.m. Saturday, July 19,
2008, the East Farmingdale Fire Company responded to a working
fire near Conklin Street. The fire was located in the rear
section of Mamatina’s Deli. There was no access to the burning
portion from inside the deli so crews forced a rear and side
door to get to the fire. Two lines were operated to knock down
the fire, which had burned into the cockloft, but was cut off
from spreading to the main part of the building by crews opening
the roof. The fire was knocked down in about twenty minutes with
no reported injuries. The cause is under investigation. Mutual
aid was provided by the Farmingdale F.D. for a Ladder to the
scene; Ladder 926 responded and the South Farmingdale F.D. for a
Fast Truck and Engine, bringing Ladder 978 and Engine 971 to the
scene.
Fire News photos
by Paul Mazza
Deer Park brush fire
On Saturday, July 19, the Deer Park Fire
Department was toned out for a brush fire on Long Island Avenue
east of Commack Road. Upon the arrival of Chief 1-4-31, a second
engine was requested to the scene. Deer park eventually had
three engines and the department’s 2.5 ton brush trucks (1-4-2
and 1-4-12) on the scene.
-Photo by Robert
Macaluso
Station Road fire
On July 5, 2008, at
8:40 a.m. the Bellport Fire Department responded to a fire on
Station Road. Responding to the call were Chief Brook Dermont,
First Assistant Chief Dane Hartmann, and Second Assistant Chief
Rich Omelchuk. Mutual aid was provided by Hagerman for a RIT
unit, and the Brookhaven Fire Department to stand by at the
Bellport firehouse. When the firefighters arrived, one occupant
was already out of the house. There were no injuries.
Photos by Dick
Moran
Centereach fire
On Wednesday, July 30,
2008, the Centereach Fire Department responded to a report of a
structure fire on Stanley Road. Upon arrival smoke was showing
from the house and a confirmed fire was put over the air.
Arriving units made entry to the house to an upstairs bedroom,
which was the scene of the fire. The fire had started in the
bedroom as a result of fireworks being set off inside of the
location. Suffolk County Arson was requested to the scene for
further investigation. Assisting at the scene was the Selden FD.
-Fire News
photos by Bob Sorensen
Quick Stop to Lumber
Yard Fire
The Sea Cliff Fire Department responded to a
call at Harbor Lumber on Glen Cove Avenue in Sea Cliff on July
23, 2008, at 5:43 p.m. The initial call came in as general
alarm, but was quickly upgraded to a working building fire when
Chief Bobby Citko turned the corner at Lafayette and Glen Cove
Avenues and notified the Glen Cove dispatcher that the building
had heavy smoke showing and requested that a second alarm be
sounded. In addition to Sea Cliff’s equipment, he immediately
requested a hook and ladder from Glenwood Fire Company and one
engine from Glen Cove Fire Department. First Assistant Chief
Andy Davies and Second Assistant Chief Danny Whittemore quickly
followed Chief Citko.
Sea Cliff’s first due Engine #576 picked up the hydrant on
Lafayette and Glen Cove Avenues and stretched a 2 ½- inch hose
inside the front door of the building. Sea Cliff’s ladder Truck
# 574 was the second truck to arrive at the scene and put the
ladder up to the roof of the building and began to vent the
roof.
Sea Cliff’s Engine #572 went behind the building on Grove Street
to protect the homes that are behind the building. At that
point, a Glen Cove engine picked up another hydrant to supply
Glenwood’s ladder truck set up in the front of the building in
case more water was needed to protect exposures.
Sea Cliff’s Engine #573 picked up the hydrant across from the
building at Central and Glen Cove Avenues and stretched a hand
line off the truck in case more water was needed. Then, Sea
Cliff’s Ambulance #579 arrived and set up a medical treatment
center in the parking lot of Super 7 across the street from the
fire.
Shortly thereafter, two more ambulances were requested, one from
Glen Cove EMS and the other from Locust Valley Fire Department.
Glen Cove’s rescue truck also responded with added manpower and
Roslyn Highlands Fire Department responded with a FAST team.
Another engine was requested from East Norwich Fire Department
and Glenwood’s rescue truck for manpower to assist with the
clean up to make sure there was no remaining fire.
The fire was knocked down within a few minutes of Sea Cliff’s
arrival, said Chief Citko, but there was considerable overhaul
to be done to be sure there were no hidden pockets of fire that
remained.
Keyspan was called to the scene and the Nassau County Fire
Marshal to do a routine investigation. The fire caused moderate
to considerable damage in the rear of the building.
-Fire News
photos by Carol Griffin
Huntington FIRE
At 10:30 in the morning on July 30, 2008, a
fire broke out inside a garage of Green Island Tree Service on
West 10th Street in Huntington. The fire started to consume a
truck and the back of the shop when the Huntington Manor Fire
Department arrived on scene. There was a small explosion heard
inside, and once it was determined there were pesticides inside
the shop, a parameter was established. Hazmat, the Arson Squad,
and the DEC were then called to the scene. The Huntington Manor
Fire Department under the command of Chief Robert Herley arrived
with three engines, two heavy rescue trucks, and one tower
Ladder. Greenlawn and Huntington Fire Departments both arrived
with one engine each to the scene to aid in knocking down the
fire. The Melville Fire Department was called in to cover HMFD’s
district. The Huntington Manor Fire Department quickly knocked
down the fire, but during this operation, one HMFD Fireman
needed transport to Huntington Hospital by the Huntington
Community First Aid Squad with a non-life threatening back
injury. The Suffolk County police Department was waiting for the
arrival of the DEC to assess the scene so the arson unit could
determine the cause of the fire. Approximately two hours later,
HMFD was called back due to the fire rekindled itself.
-Fire News
photos by Philip M. Orlando
