Suburban Fire Marshal

0543 hours. Centereach Fire Department is dispatched to a report of a vehicle fire at 5 Kennedy Drive. Units arrived to find an involved auto parked on the side of a two story private dwelling, with the fire auto exposing to the house. Engine 9 was first in followed by engines 2 and 7. lines were stretched and the fire was quickly extinguished. No mutual aid was required and no injuries were reported. Fire Marshals from the Town of Brookhaven are investigating. 

Keeping warm and cozy with a fireplace this fall? Always have a screen in place to prevent embers or sparks from catching household items on fire

The Centereach Fire Department was dispatched on an automatic fire alarm at 2691 Middle Country Road. Units arrived to find heavy smoke pushing from Mike's Car Care. Crews forced entry, located the fire and quickly extinguished same. There were no injuries and no mutual aid was required. The Lake Grove Fire Marshals Office is handling the investigation. 

Consequently, the Lake Grove Fire Marshals ordered the building owner to install a new fire alarm system in January of this year. Had this not occurred, this fire would have gone undiscovered and the building and two vehicles within, would have been destroyed. 

Skeletal remains found in basement of Lake Grove home, decades after owner went missing: 

A skeleton was discovered in the basement of a home on Long Island Wednesday, 57 years after a man who lived there went missing.

Police say that man's four adult children found the possible human remains while excavating the basement of the home on Olive Street in Lake Grove.

1304 hours. Smithtown Fire Department is dispatched along with Suffolk County Police to the CVS on Route 347 at Terry Road in regards to a vehicle striking the building. Units arrive to find that a vehicle was driven over the curb and struck the side of the building causing damage to the exterior. The driver of the vehicle was evaluated by FD EMS personnel and the vehicle was secured by FD personnel. Fire Marshals from the Town of Smithtown Department of Public Safety were called to the scene to access the damage. A Building Inspector was also notified. 

Contractors working on drainage improvements along the Motor Parkway corridor in Hauppauge struck a gas main on the north side of the street. Hauppauge Fire Department personnel along with Suffolk Police closed Motor Parkway until PSE&G were able to shut down the leak. FD personnel continuously monitored atmospheric conditions in and around the buildings in the vicinity of the leak. 

There were no injuries and the roadway was reopened approximately 60 minutes later. 

The Hauppauge Fire Department was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at XX Executive Drive. Units arrived to find a smoke condition in the house. After a quick search, crews found fire in an enclosed wall area on the ground level. The fire was quickly extinguished, the area overhauled and the house vented. Fire Marshals from the Town of Smithtown worked with the Hauppauge Fire Marshal to determine the cause of the fire. There were no injuries. 

While taking over from a serious traffic collision on Middle Country Road, the Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a structure fire at the Brookside Assisted Living facility at 7 Route 25A. Units arrived to find smoke in the building. While staff and firefighters evacuated patients, other crews conducted a search for the source of the smoke. Mutual aid was requested from the Kings Park, Hauppauge and Nesconset Fire Departments. 

The source of the smoke was found to be a defective HVAC unit. There were no injuries and all units were back in service within 90 minutes. 

The Nesconset and St. James Fire Departments respond to a report of a structure fire at 6 Freeman Avenue in Nesconset. Units arrived to find an active fire in a bathroom of a single story private dwelling. All occupants had self evacuated with their pets. Mutual aid was requested while crews stretched in. The fire was quickly knocked down and the house vented. Fire Marshals from the Town of Smithtown Department of Public Safety were called in to investigate. 

2120 hours Setauket FD was dispatched to a report of a house fire at 7 Blueberry Lane. Units arrived to find an active chimney fire with some extension. The fire was quickly extinguished and there were no injuries. Mutual aid provided by Stony Brook, Centereach, Selden, Terryville, St. James, Nesconset, Port Jefferson and SBVAC. There were no injuries.  Photos by Stringer

Hugh McNeill passed into life eternal on October 20th. "Hugie" as he was known to his friends was an active member of the fire police company. Hugh McNeill was laid to rest on October 25th 2018.

 1100 hours. Centereach firefighters are dispatched to a traffic collision on Horseblock Road. Units arrive to find a collision involving a motorcycle and a Toyota sedan. The operator of the motorcycle, George Kellerman, a member of the Centereach Fire Department, was transported to Stony Brook Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Toyota, Jose Diaz Benitez and his two year old son, who was also in the vehicle, were not injured. According to Suffolk Police, Benitez had no drivers license and made an illegal U-turn in front of Kellerman. Suffolk Police issued Benitez tickets for both infractions. 

 I have known George for 20 years. He was a true gentleman with a constant smile on his face. Rest in peace my friend.

1347. The Hauppauge Fire Department responds to a report of a vehicle fire at 336 Lincoln Blvd. Arriving units encountered a fully involved Ford pickup truck in the driveway. Hauppauge operated with an engine (3-8-14) and truck (Rescue 3-8-9). Suffolk County Police Arson detectives were called in to investigate. 

0639 hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department is dispatched to a report of a commercial building fire at 551 Veterans Highway, near Route 347. Units arrived to find smoke pushing from a single story Chemex pool maintenance and supply company. While crews forced entry and stretched in, mutual aid was requested from the Smithtown, Central Islip and Nesconset Fire Departments. Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance and Commack Ambulance both sent units to the scene. 

The fire was quickly located and extinguished. While damage was extensive, the fire did not involve any chemicals, which were stored elsewhere. There were no injuries. Fire Marshals from the Town of Islip were on scene. Assistant Chief Ron Walker was the Incident commander.

Ronkonkoma Fire Department responds to Expressway Drive South and Ronkonkoma Ave. Units arrive to find that a motorcycle left the roadway, hitting a guard rail and then a fence. The operator was transported with non-life-threatening injuries. 

0320 hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department was dispatched along with Suffolk Police to a report of a rubbish fire at 584 Veterans Highway. Units arrived and found a garbage can burning in front of the business, with fire extending up onto the building. The fire was quickly extinguished. Two businesses within the building sustained smoke damage and there was minor fire damage out front. The Suffolk County Police Department Arson squad was quickly notified and after a thorough investigation, a homeless  adult male, Robert Pearlman, 42, was arrested and charged with arson in the 4th degree. 

 No injuries were reported.

*Arrest information above comes via Suffolk County Police.

1715 hours. The Centereach Fire Department is dispatched to a vehicle fire near the Verizon Wireless store in the parking lot of the Smith Haven Mall. Units arrive to find an active fire in the engine compartment of a Nissan Murano. The fire was quickly extinguished. There were no injuries The Lake Grove Fire Marshals Office was called in to document the incident.