Suburban Fire Marshal

1945 hours. Setauket Fire Department is dispatched to an activated fire alarm at the Brookhaven Cat Hospital at 60 Route 25A. Units arrive to find heavy smoke pushing out of the cat hospital and the exposures. An incoming engine picked up a hydrant and crews stretched three lines on the fire. Mutual aid was requested from Centereach for a RIT, Port Jefferson for a ladder, Stony Brook for an engine and a ladder, Terryville for a ladder, Selden for an engine and St. James for an engine. Nesconset and Port Jefferson Ambulance sent rigs to the scene. the fire was located and knocked down with 30 minutes. Crews opened the roof, searched the building and overhauled. The fire area was secured and the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshals were called in to handle the investigation. Numerous cats housed within the animal hospital died.

October is Fire Prevention month. As such, most of the Township and Village Fire Departments hold their annual open house events. St. James held theirs today. Photos courtesy of the St. James Fire Department.

Hauppauge Engine 4 firefighter Steve Matteo received the Islip Town Fire Chiefs Association Medal of Valor for his part in the rescue of an adult male trapped in a traffic collision with vehicle fire on Townline Road on 7-19-2017. Congratulations Steve.

Engine 1 Members recieved a unit citation from the Islip Town Fire Chiefs Association for their work in reviving a person with CPR and an AED. Congratulations men. From left to Right Ex-Chief Ronald Barz, Ex-captain Tim Juliano, Andrew Mendola. John Malone,Lieut. Sean Fallona, Ex-Capt. Nick Mendola accepting the award on the behalf of his son Lieut. Michael Mendola and Joseph Mendola.

Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a crash that killed a motorcyclist in Centereach. 

At approximately 2005 hours, Steven Benjamin was operating a 2005 KTM motorcycle westbound on Middle Country Road when he collided with a 2010 Jeep Liberty that had been traveling eastbound on Middle Country Road and was making a left turn onto Eastwood Blvd. 

Benjamin, 26, of Selden, was transported to Stony Brook Hospital by Centereach Fire Department ambulance where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Jeep, a 17 year old female from Selden, remained at the scene and was not injured. 

The motorcycle and the Jeep were impounded for safety checks. Detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to call the sixth squad at 631-854-8652. 

Details above are from SCPD Press Release 18-564767

0004 hours. An adult male was arrested by Suffolk Police after the vehicle he was operating left the roadway and struck an out building at the Obadiah Smith house on St. Johnland Road in Kings Park. The lone occupant was evaluated by the EMS units from the Kings Park Fire Department and then transported to the 4th precinct in Hauppauge by police. The 300 year old historic building sustained significant damage and was pushed off its base. A Fire Marshal and a Park Ranger from the Town of Smithtown Department of Public Safety were also on scene.

1630 hours. The Holtsville Fire Department is dispatched to a structure fire at 971 Waverly Avenue. Units arrived to find a fire at the Winters Brothers Carting Company. Mutual aid was immediately requested from Lakeland (engine), Ronkonkoma (ladder), Holbrook (ladder) North Patchogue (RIT), Farmingville (engine) and Medford to cover. The fire was quickly knocked down. There were no injuries.

The Ronkonkoma Fire Department responds to Carroll and Union Avenues in regards to a report of a traffic collision. Units arrive to find a crash involving two vehicle with one, a small Chevrolet, on its side. FD personnel stabilized the Chevy and then extricated the occupant of the through the windshield opening. The occupants of both vehicles were evaluated by EMS and transported accordingly. 

1315 hours. CI Hauppauge Community Ambulance is dispatched to a traffic collision on Old Nichols Road in the vicinity of CI Fire Department Station 3. Crews arrive with Suffolk Police and find that a 15 year old boy had been hit by a 2008 Honda Civic that had been traveling southbound on Old Nichols. EMS personnel packaged the victim and transported him to an awaiting Suffolk County Police Helicopter. He was flown to Stony Brook where he is listed in critical condition. 

The 57 year old driver of the vehicle that struck the boy, remained on scene. She was not injured. 

Information comes via SCPD press release 18-559998

2000 hours. Suffolk Police and the Nesconset Fire Department were dispatched to a report of a traffic collision on Rosevale Ave. Units arrived to find that a 26 year old male had been struck by a vehicle. The victim, Kevin Hartnett of Ronkonkoma was transported to Stony Brook Hospital by the Nesconset Fire Department. The driver of the vehicle (a 2018 Audi A6), a 42 year old male from Centereach, was arrested by Suffolk Police and charged with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. He was held overnight at the Third Precinct. The road was closed until approximately midnight for the police investigation. Information in this story came from SCPD Press release 18-560783.

The Nesconset, Ronkonkoma and St. James Fire Departments were dispatched to a report of a structure fire at the Wild Ginger Restaurant at 69 Smithtown Blvd. Crews encountered a smoke condition in the building and after a quick search, located a small fire in a storage room. The fire was extinguished and the area secured. A Fire Marshal from the Town of Smithtown Department of Public Safety was called in to investigate the fire and to address a number of violations within the building. The restaurant was not permitted to reopen until an inspection was performed by the Suffolk County Health Department. At least one summons was issued by the Fire Marshal. there were no injuries and all units were back in service within an hour. 

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) announced that legislation he sponsored to rename a portion of Jericho Turnpike in honor of Commack resident Christopher Raguso, who lost his life earlier this year heroically serving our nation in Iraq, has been signed into law.  The legislation will ceremonially name a 7-mile stretch of Route 25 from East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills to St. Johnland Road in Smithtown as the "Lt. Christopher J. Raguso FDNY-CFD Memorial Highway.” 

Lt. Raguso’s widow Carmela said, “Chris was an extraordinary husband and father.  He loved his country and his community and ultimately gave his life that others may live.  We miss him tremendously every day.  The outpouring of support and love gives our hearts comfort during this very difficult time.”

“Lt. Christopher Raguso is a true American hero who repeatedly stepped up to protect his country and community.  He served honorably and selflessly, and our hearts are broken for his family and friends.  His love of country and serving others is reflected in his years of dedicated military and firefighter service, and that will forever stand as an example for others to follow.  It is my hope that this recognition serves as an everyday reminder of the courageous sacrifice Lt. Raguso made on behalf of this great nation.  We owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, and we will continue to be here for his beautiful family,” stated Senator Flanagan.

As an HH-60G special missions aviation flight engineer with the rank of Master Sergeant, Raguso was tragically killed, along with six of his fellow service members, in a military helicopter crash in Iraq on March 15th.  He was serving in Iraq as part of the 106th Rescue Wing, which is stationed at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach.

In addition to serving the nation in the military, he was a respected member of the Commack Volunteer Fire Department since 2000 and a 13-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department since 2005, where he served in both Ladder Company 113, Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Engine Company 302, Jamaica, Queens.  During his service in the FDNY, he was honored six times for bravery and lifesaving actions.

Lt. Raguso is survived by Carmela, and their two daughters, Eva and Mila.

The renaming of the roadway calls for the installation of commemorative signage on the roadway.

At approximately 2324 hours, a subject pulled into the parking lot of the bluff, exited their vehicle and the vehicle continued into the water. Suffolk Police and Park Rangers arrived and interviewed the subject, who was not injured. Smithtown Bay Constables,  NYS Encon Police and divers from SCPD returned to the scene at first light to locate and remove the vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Holbrook NY: Ronkonkoma firefighters responded to a car accident today involving two vehicles on Express Drive South near Raymond Court. One driver was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries via a Ronkonkoma FD ambulance. (Long Island) // Photos Via: Bryan Lopez

St. James and Setauket Fire Departments were two of many departments inundated with fire and rescue calls during a sustained torrential rain storm this evening.

St. James handled seven alarms in 30 minutes including live wires burning on a driveway on 25A, a vehicle fire on Moriches Road near Woodlawn, a carbon monoxide detector activation  and numerous people trapped in their vehicles in flood water in that same area. Two others were removed from a vehicle on 25A near Edgewood Avenue. 

Setauket Fire Department handled a multitude of calls for assistance involving people trapped in vehicles and assisted the Port Jefferson Fire Department with evacuations from the village was was heavily flooded. Restaurant patrons had to be rescued from waist high water and even the firehouse took in 3-4 feet of water. 

There were no serious injuries and the water has been receding. More rain is expected tonight.

Photos courtesy of Stringer News, St. James Fire Department.

Suffolk County Police arrested a Hauppauge man for driving while intoxicated and reckless endangerment following a fatal motor vehicle crash. At approximately 0315 hours, Scott Brunengraber was driving a 2016 Lexus southbound on Terry Road when he struck a 2017 Toyota that was parked in front of 302 Terry Road. The subject turned onto Ingrid Court. Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance was dispatched and transported a passenger from within the car. That passenger was in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at St. Catherines Hospital. 

Brunengraber was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree.

All information in this report comes from SCPD Press Release 18-549212

Hauppauge FIre Department responds to a traffic collision on Motor Parkway near Express Drive South. Units arrive to find a crash between two vehicles. One vehicle was overturned and had taken out a utility pole, resulting in wires down and burning on the overturned vehicle. 

After finishing up the annual 9-11 memorial service, the Centereach Fire Department was dispatched with officers from the 6th precinct to a report of a shooting up the block from the firehouse. Units arrived to find a woman in the driver seat of a 2014 Kia Soul with a gunshot wound to the head and a man in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head. A firearm was recovered in the vehicle. Both victims were transported by Centereach Ambulance to Stony Brook Hospital in critical condition. Detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the 6th squad at 631-854-8652. Information in this story came from SCPD Press Release 18-524924

0210 hours. A Suffolk County Sheriffs Deputy on routine patrol rolled up on a traffic collision at 2211 Jericho Turnpike in Commack. According to Suffolk Police, an adult male driving a 2013 Audi lost control of the vehicle, leaving  the roadway and striking a gasoline pump and then slamming into a canopy pillar at a Sunoco station on the north side of Jericho Turnpike. As a result of the collision, pat of the canopy collapsed. Officers requested a response from Commack Fire Department and Commack Ambulance. With an active fire in the engine compartment, both occupants were removed from the vehicle. The fixed suppression system extinguished the fire. According to police, both occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.

Setauket fire department responded to a call for a water hazard following torrential down pour. Multiple homes in the neighborhood were flooded. Emergency personnel secured power to the homes and Dewatered the neighborhood.

Photos courtesy of Setauket FD Facebook Page.

1255 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department responds to a traffic collision on Maple Avenue. Units arrive to find a crash involving a single vehicle that left the roadway and struck a utility pole at the corner of Maple and Bowers Court. The driver self extricated and suffered minor injuries. The victim was transported to the hospital via Smithtown Fire Department ambulance.