Walmart rooftop fire forces evacuation

A fire broke out on the roof of the Walmart Supercenter on Green Acres Road in Valley Stream last Wednesday at around 4 p.m. One woman suffered a seizure during the evacuation and was subsequently sent to the hospital. The Valley Stream Volunteer Fire Department was responding to an odor of gas call when FIRECOM notified Fire Chief Eugene O’Brien II of the incident, and units were quickly dispatched to the scene.
Firefighters climbed onto the roof of Walmart and found that the source of the fire was an air conditioning unit caught aflame. The firefighters used air pressurized water extinguishers to put out the fire while a backup hose line was set up from Engine 344 and stretched to Ladder 346. Mutual aid was received from the Elmont, Hewlett, and Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Departments. All firefighting emergency response operations were under the command of Chief O’Brien.