Blaze destroys Lynbrook Bicycle shop

A blazing fire tore through Lynbrook Bicycle on Merrick Road between Vincent and Denton Avenues Tuesday morning destroying a store that has sold bicycles for more than 25 years in the village.  

  Lynbrook firefighters were called out for a reported building fire at about 1:15 a.m. on Aug. 23 after passerbys saw fire in the front of the store. Deputy Chief Michael Anderson was first on the scene and broadcast a Signal 10 for a working fire at that location. When firefighters arrived on the first engine just two minutes later, the store was completely engulfed in flames. 

  Lynbrook’s Hose Company was first on the scene and immediately stretched an attack line to the front of the building after firefighters took the hydrant at Merrick Road and Vincent Avenue. That first line was used to knock down the main body of fire that had engulfed the storefront. Due to the large amount of bicycles in the store, it was difficult for firefighters to get to the interior fire as the fire soon also blew out the back of the building. While the first line was in operation, two additional lines were stretched by Engine Company and Tally-Ho Company from Hose Company’s rig. 

  Two lines were taken to the rear but were not put into operation as the front line continued to knock down the fire. The flames were brought under control in about 30 minutes but firefighters continued to put out pockets of fire in the cluttered store for hours. While firefighters were putting out the flames, members of Truck Company, and a mutual aid truck company from the Rockville Centre Fire Department, laddered the building, went to the roof, and pulled ceilings in the fire building and the two adjoining stores.