By Jonathan Cronin
Broadway fire closes 5 stores
Five stores on Broadway in Hewlett remain closed after being damaged by a fire that erupted in one of them early Sunday morning, officials said.
The closed stores are Clara Drucker Skincare, 1233 Broadway, where the fire broke out, and Rainbow Eatery, 30 Minute Photo, Epicurean Essentials and Nutrition Warehouse, which were damaged by smoke only, fire officials said.
The fire is not considered suspicious and how it began was not clear, authorities said. There were no injuries.
Hewlett firefighters, alerted by police at 1 a.m. Sunday, arrived at the stores at 1:16 and saw billowing smoke. After first forcing their way into 30 Minute Photo and finding no fire there, firefighters then forced open the front door of the skin-care store, where they were met by heavy smoke and moderate heat. They located the fire in a storage room in the back of the store.
About 75 firefighters responded to the call, with three trucks from Hewlett, two from Inwood, one from Lawrence-Cedarhurst and one from Woodmere. An ambulance from Valley Stream also was on hand.
Fire officials said all the stores received heavy smoke damage. Nutrition Warehouse also received damage to its front door and ceiling when firefighters came in to check if the fire had spread.
Barbara Tecklin, who owns Epicurean Essentials, said that when she first heard the fire alarm go off at 2 a.m. Sunday, she hoped it was a false alarm. "We were petrified," said Tecklin, who lives in North Woodmere.
Tecklin said that when she finally saw the damage the smoke had done to ceilings, rugs and walls, she said "My God, it will be weeks until we open. I just hope it isn't months."
She added that the damage assessment had not been completed. "The adjusters are still looking," she said.
"Giftware and food baskets and soft goods, all of it will have to be thrown out" because of the odor of smoke, said Tecklin.
The owner of 30 Minute Photo, who gave only his first name, Zahir, wanted to assure his customers that all photos are safe and said he hoped to re-open within a week or so.
Things weren't as good at Nutrition Warehouse. "Everything is ruined," said owner Bruce Zides. who recently advertised a New Year's sale with a new store name, House of Nutrition. "Instead," he said, "there was the fire."
He said he was called at his East Rockaway home early Sunday morning by his fire alarm company and that he and his wife went to the store immediately and found firefighters ripping up the ceiling. He said that when someone has a family to care for and bills to pay, all someone can think of is, "That is my store, my only source of income."
Zides added that he will have to get rid of his entire stock and possibly set up shop in a temporary location.
Other store owners could not be reached for comment.
Joe Gelb, president of the Hewlett Business Association, said none of the businesses had as yet been able to determine the exact cost of their losses. He added that in the past year Rainbow Eatery had redecorated its entire store. "They did a nice job, too," he said.
