Firefighters stop garage blaze in Bay Park

Courtesy East Rockaway Fire Department A garage on West Boulevard in Bay Park was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene in the early-morning hours of Aug. 2.

Courtesy East Rockaway Fire Department

Firefighters battled a fast-moving blaze on West Boulevard early Sunday morning.

Kevin Madigan /K2M Photography

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East Rockaway firefighters battled a fast-moving garage fire at the rear of 168 West Blvd. in Bay Park early Sunday morning, extinguishing flames that were threatening nearby structures.

At 2:46 a.m., the department responded to multiple calls reporting that the garage, at the intersection of North and West boulevards, was engulfed in flames.

Upon his arrival, First Assistant Chief Gene M. Torborg called for a second alarm. Firefighters stretched a hose down the driveway to attack the fire, and used a fire hydrant on West Cooke Street to protect homes there that were also in danger.

Firefighters from the Hewlett, Lynbrook, Oceanside and Rockville Centre fire departments provided mutual aid. According to detectives from the Nassau County Police Department’s 4th Precinct Arson Bomb Squad, 10 trucks and 60 firefighters battled the blaze, which damaged three adjoining properties and three vehicles.

The Nassau County fire marshal’s Hazmat Unit was dispatched to the scene as well to secure two nearby propane tanks.

No injuries were reported, and the fire was not deemed suspicious. According to the fire marshal’s office, however, an investigation was continuing due to the size of the blaze.

“I’m very proud of the men and women of the department who took a well-advanced fire and extinguished it with limited additional damage to the surrounding structures,” Torborg said. He added that one fire department member had been treated at the scene for heat exhaustion.

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