By JOSEPH KELLARD
According to detectives of the Nassau County Arson and Bomb Squad, the Oceanside Fire Department responded to a call at 9:10 p.m. for a fire at 404 Atlantic Avenue, a long vacant building now owned by Grossman¼s Nursery.
OFD Chief Sean Lynch said the fire consisted mostly of smoke from fires in small areas of the building.
„When our firefighters forced entry into the building they found a fire that appeared to be from paper rubbish, furniture, wall paneling and things of that nature,¾ Lynch said. „The fire was brought under control fairly quickly.¾
Since the building was vacant, the fire department considered the fire suspicious.
„Abandoned buildings usually don¼t have fires,¾ Lynch said. „It doesn¼t make sense because there are no active utilities to the building, so it couldn¼t be an electrical fire. So we referred it to the Fire Marshal for investigation.¾
Both the Nassau County Fire Marshal¼s office and the ABS are conducting an investigation of the fire. Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
Meanwhile, an engine truck from South Side firehouse responding to the fire was involved in an accident with a car on Atlantic Avenue. Four firefighters on the truck and a firefighter driving the car were injured in the crash, all of whom sustained minor injuries and were released at South Nassau Communities Hospital, Lynch said.
Comments about this story? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
