Suburban Fire Marshal

0432 hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in a house owned and occupied by a member of the department. Units arrived to find an active fire on the upper level of a two story dwelling. All of the occupants had safely evacuated and were uninjured. Crews went to work on the fire and mutual aid was requested from the surrounding departments. The house sustained extensive damage. 

The Kings Park Fire Department was dispatched to a report of smoke coming from the vicinity of the State Hospital on Old Dock Road. Units arrived and advised of smoke coming from Building 44 (one of the many long abandoned buildings on the site).  The four story derelict building is X shaped with U shaped buildings off of each branch.

Mutual aid was requested from the Commack and Smithtown Fire Departments. Two engines were positioned by the front entrance and a hand line was stretched in. A rubbish fire was located on the 3rd floor and was quickly extinguished.

The scene was then turned over to NYS Park Police, Smithtown Fire Marshals, Suffolk Arson Detectives and NYS OFPC.

There were no injuries.

1753 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to a motor vehicle collision on Maple Avenue near Ma Bell Lane. Units arrive to find that a single vehicle had left the roadway and slammed into a two story commercial medical office building. The front of the vehicle penetrated the exterior and entered a waiting room for a radiology center. Thankfully immediately prior to the crash, someone in the waiting room was looking out the window and saw the vehicle approaching. That person alerted everyone to move and as a result, the only injury was to the driver. The Smithtown and Hauppauge FD's shored up the building and the scene was turned over to the Smithtown Fire Marshal and a Building Inspector.

0415 The Central Islip Fire Department was toned out for a residential structure fire on Hilliard Avenue. Units arrived to find heavy fire rolling out  fo a two story private dwelling. Crews went to work and numerous mutual aids were requested. Hauppauge FD sent engine 1 and ladder 7 with Assistant Chief Steven Feron.

1416 hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department was dispatched on multiple calls reporting a building fire in the Fairfield Apartment complex on the corner of New Highway and Veterans Highway. Responding units could see the smoke plume from miles away so the alarm was re-transmitted as a working fire.

Units arrived to find heavy fire in a two story occupied multi-unit apartment house. Crews stretched in and performed VES. Mutual aid was requested from the Commack, Smithtown and Central Islip Fire Departments. Commack Volunteer Ambulance and Central Islip Hauppauge Ambulance both sent units to the scene.  Numerous large hand lines and one master stream off Hauppauge's tower ladder were deployed.

The fire was placed under control within 2 hours. Robert Wind-Chief of Department was the incident commander. One firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

The Smithtown Fire Marshals Office and the Suffolk Police Arson Squad handled the investigation.

0102 Hours. The Hauppauge Fire Department responds to a vehicle fire on the Northern State Parkway. Units find a fully involved passenger vehicle burning on the eastbound shoulder, just west of Veterans Highway. The driver was able to exit the vehicle without injury. Assistant Chief Ron Walker operated with engines 3 and 4. The vehicle was a total loss.

1043 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to a reported gas leak in the construction area of Route 347, west of Terry Road. Units arrived to find that the operator of a backhoe had severed a two inch natural gas line on the North side of the road at the intersection with Helen Avenue. Mutual aid was requested from Nesconset FD for an engine and manpower to the scene and from Kings Park FD to send an engine to cover at Smithtown FD HQ. The area and surrounding houses were evacuated, traffic was shut down in both directions and PSEG was requested on a rush. Once PSEG arrived, the gas was shut down, using a buried valve on the South side of the street. FD personnel confirmed that the surrounding houses were clear of gas and are area was reopened just before 1300 hours.

The Port Jefferson Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a commercial structure fire on Main Street. Units arrived to find an active fire in the kitchen of Billies Bar, which is on the ground level of a three story taxpayer. The alarm was re-toned and mutual aid was requested from Terryville for an engine, Mount Sinai for a ladder. Setauket sent an engine and a ladder to the scene and an ambulance to stand by for PJVAC and the Coram Fire Department for a RIT. Multiple hand lines were stretched and the fire was confined to the kitchen. Note: While responding, a collision occurred between a Terryville engine and Mount Sinai’s ladder. There were minor injuries and both rigs were damaged.

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1720 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched on a smoke investigation in the area of Dorchester Road and Buxton Way. Units arrived and after an extended search found a deep seated brush fire in the Greenbelt trail area between Steven Place and Bow Drive. Crews stretched approximately 1400 feet of hose into the woods to reach the fire. Assistant Chief Kevin Fitzpatrick requested a 2½ stump jumper from Nesconset FD to assist. Unfortunately, due to the marshy terrain, the brush truck became stuck. Nissequogue was called for their 5 ton GI and the Town of Smithtown Highway Department was called for a payloader. Crews cleared a path using chainsaws and the Payloader pulled Nesconset’s rig out. During this incident, the Smithtown Fire Department had six other alarms. The Hauppauge Fire Department handled a gas leak for them and Smithtown crews handled the rest. The Nesconset Fire Department had two other alarms while out with Smithtown, both of which they covered. 

All units cleared from this scene just after midnight. Unfortunately, the fire department has been called back to this area numerous times since for additional fires and Fire Marshals are now monitoring the area. 

Photo courtesy of the 40.

1723 hours. The Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to a motor vehicle collision on Route 347 near Hallock Avenue. Units arrived to find a crash involving three vehicles, one of which had overturned, blocking all of the westbound lanes. All of the victims were removed, packaged and transported by ambulance to the hospital. Smithtown FD was called back to this same area for another crash at 1813 hours. This time, a motorcycle was involved. There were no injuries and all units returned to service. 

Photo Courtesy of Fred Friedman via the Smithtown FD website. Click on the photo above to see more photos of this incident on their website.

The Centereach Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a vehicle burning in the parking lot of the Smith Haven Mall. Units arrived to find an active car fire in the North parking lot near Sears. Two engines arrived quickly and the fire was extinguished using one hand line. Two vehicles in adjoining spots sustained very minor damage.

1522 hours. The Commack Fire Department was dispatched along with Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps to 37-39 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway in regards to a carbon monoxide detector activation with subjects feeling ill. FD and EMS units arrived to find 20 people reporting carbon monoxide exposure like symptoms. Fire Department personnel evacuated a number of stores and crews entered the building to locate the source of the problem. Commack Ambulance began patient assessment, calling for ambulances from Deer Park, Dix Hills, North Babylon, East Brentwood Greenlawn, Kings Park and  Smithtown. A Field Physician was called in to evaluate all of the patients. The doctor determined that 9 victims should be transported and the other 11 could be treated and released from the scene. The source of the carbon monoxide was found to be a defective water heating unit in a hair salon. The Smithtown Fire Marshals Office was called in and is handling the investigation.

0818 hours. The Selden and Centereach Fire Departments were dispatched to a report of a house fire on Hallowell Lane off Holly Hill Lane in the Selden Fire District. Chief 31 arrived and advised that he had an active fire in the garage of a private dwelling. Mutual from Coram for a ladder, Centereach sent engine 2, Farmingville, Terryville sent an ambulance to standby. One line was stretched and operated. 

Ron Monteleone Photo

The Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at the Hypnosis 8.0 Lounge on Main Street. Units arrive to find  a chaotic scene with water flowing from a broken sprinkler pipe and an adult male with a gunshot wound. The chief requested an ambulance as well as Suffolk Police and a Smithtown Fire Marshal. The victim was transported to the hospital and FD personnel shut down the sprinkler system. The scene was then turned over to the PD and the Fire Marshal. 

Photo courtesy of the 40

0251 hours. While their neighbors to the East (Port Jefferson FD) were battling a large fire in a condo complex , the Setauket Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire with a burn victim on Carriage Lane. Units rolled up on a heavy fire condition the ½ corner of a single story occupied wood frame private dwelling. Crews picked up a hydrant and stretched multiple hand lines to attack the fire in a bedroom, which extended up into the attic. Mutual aid from Nesconset FD for an engine, Saint James FD RIT, Stony Brook FD-2 engines, Centereach FD for a ladder, The Selden Fire Department sent an engine to Station 3 on Nichols Road. Smithtown FD sent an engine to Setauket, Ronkonkoma FD sent an ambulance to Station 3. Holtsville sent an ambulance to the scene.

One elderly occupant was transported with burns. One firefighter suffered a leg injury.

Photo courtesy of Dawn Siedlewicz