By:Karen Rice and Damian J. Troise
The fire started at about 5:30 p.m., after the shop was closed for the day. Members of the Woodmere Fire Department were the first to arrive on the scene. They were later aided by Hewlett, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, and Inwood fire departments.
The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes.
The cause of the fire was undetermined at the time, according to Nassau County fire officials. No one appeared to be injured from the smoke or flames, officials said.
"First we saw smoke coming out of the vents, then it started coming out of the roof," said Anthony Ayala, who witnessed the blaze.
Nassau County police were on the scene to block off the section of Broadway between Irving and Franklin Place. Local business owners and pedestrians looked on as firefighters quickly contained the fire and removed burnt furniture from the shop.
Charred couches, which were waiting to be upholstered, were strewn on the sidewalk in front of the shop as firefighters cleared the scene.
"We are there to support all of our businesses and we will give the owner any support he needs," said Seymour Glass, president of the Woodmere Merchants Association.
A front window at Jan Kalman Realty, across the street from the fire, was shattered by a burst from a fire hose. The hose was quickly brought under control when a Woodmere firefighter dove on top of it.
The hose damaged a LIPA ground wire in front of Jan Kalman Realty and injured two bystanders. Pasquale Pignataro, owner of Pasquale tailoring, a nearby shop, was hit on his right foot when the hose burst.
"The hose snapped and hit my foot and also broke a window," he said. "I have to go to Long Island Jewish tomorrow [Tuesday] to get [my foot] checked."
Mark Newman, a teenager, was also hurt when the window shattered and glass shards flew into his arms and legs. His mother, Susan Newman, pulled the glass out and was relieved her son, as well as other bystanders, suffered no further injuries.
"He got soaking wet and glass went all over him," Susan Newman said. "I was very grateful he only got a little hurt. Thank God no one was really hurt, which is amazing because of the time of day."
Maurice Carduce, a proprietor for the dress shop connected to Legend Custom Upholstery, was very upset as he watched firefighters sift through the remains of his shop.
"Everything is gone except this window," he said as he motioned to the only display window that seemed untouched by smoke or fire.
Woodmere Fire Department Chief Richard Winters said Legend Custom Upholstery suffered a great deal of fire damage and heavy smoke damage.
