By Dave Vieser
Whitehall Millwork gutted in Lynbrook Fire
A fierce fire which has been labeled suspicious by Nassau Arson Squad Detectives swept through the Whitehall Millwork Corporation in Lynbrook early Tuesday morning, causing extensive damage. While there were no civilian or firefighter injuries, the fire knocked out power in the surrounding neighborhood for several hours and disrupted early morning service on the adjacent LIRR West Hempstead Branch. Fire officials are investigating the cause of the inferno, Lynbrook's worst fire in over a decade.
"Volunteers from both Lynbrook and Valley Stream were here minutes after the alarm was transmitted over the fire radio, and this place was fully, and I mean, FULLY, involved," said Lynbrook Chief James Hillgardner. "It became evident very quickly that the two buildings involved were gone, so our efforts were designed to protect the exposures, and prevent the fire from spreading. Our firefighters, along with the mutual aid departments, did a great job in stopping the fire."
Fueling the fire was the explosion of at least one of several propane tanks used to fuel the millwork's forklifts, endangering the lives of several upstairs tenants in a neighboring building. However, the tenants were evacuated while the building sustained only minor damage due to narrow windows that prevented flames from burning their way inside.
Since the millwork straddles the Lynbrook-Valley Stream border, the original calls reporting the fire came in shortly after 3:00 A.M. to both the Valley Stream Fire Department, as a truck fire, and to Lynbrook, as a dumpster fire. However, within five minutes, units from both Lynbrook and Valley Stream arrived at the scene and confirmed that it was a working fire in two buildings owned by Whitehall Millworking. The two departments stretched numerous hose lines and worked side by side to stop the huge fireball from spreading. The Elmont Fire Department also responded, and provided additional support, protecting the homes on the west side of the LIRR tracks.When the intense heat began to melt the houses' vinyl siding, families were successfully evacuated.
LIRR Supervisors were later called to examine damage sustained to cables powering the track system's third rail. Rail service was delayed for hours as the men tested the area by walking several trains past, after which service resumed at reduced speeds.
In all, eight fire departments assisted in fighting the blaze: Lynbrook, Valley Stream, and Elmont, followed by Woodmere, East Rockaway and Malverne, which supplied extra volunteers at the scene, and both Rockville Centre and Oceanside, providing stand-by services for any additional alarms.
Chief Hillgardner declared the fire under control at 8:00 A.M. Tuesday morning, almost five hours after the initial alarm was sounded.
According to Lynbrook Fire Department spokesman Steve Grogan, this was the worst fire in Lynbrook since the Vitality Sleep Show blaze at Atlantic and Sunrise in 1988.
"My main concern was to contain this fire and protect the surrounding businesses and homes. We were able to do this with the assistance and teamwork of Valley Stream and our other mutual aid departments," said Chief Hillgardner.
Fire damages E. Rock Jewish Centre
By Dave Vieser
A fire believed to be electrical in origin swept through two classrooms at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre early Saturday morning. No one was injured, but the blaze caused extensive damage to several classrooms in the religious-school section of the complex. The synagogue itself was not damaged by the fire, and Saturday morning worship services were held as scheduled, according to Detective Charles Millar of the Nassau Police Arson Squad.
The blaze was first reported at 5:55 A.M. Saturday morning, October 14, in the ceiling of the classrooms on the rear-east side of the building at 295 Main Street in East Rockaway. Before firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, significant damage was sustained within two classrooms in the rear of the building.
Fire officials speculate that the blaze may have been smoldering for some time before it was discovered.
Firefighters from the East Rockaway Fire Department responded to the scene within minutes of the alarm. Upon arrival at the scene, they were met with smoke and fire in the ceiling of the classrooms. Chief Thomas Smith requested mutual aid from the Lynbrook Fire Department as his members attacked the fire.
Directly outside the classrooms were several succoths, or temporary tent-like structures, within which those of the Jewish faith celebrate the eight-day holiday of the fall harvest called Sukkoth. Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control before the succoths were significantly damaged.
Religious classes are normally conducted in the classrooms where the fire originated. Temple officials declined to comment on the blaze. But there is no indication that the fire was intentionally set and the blaze was not deemed suspicious by fire investigators.
