By:Leslie Gonzalez
Fire demolishes vacant home, damages adjoining building
A homeless man was arrested Saturday afternoon at the scene of a fire that Lynbrook Police said he started in a vacant two-story house on Ocean Avenue.
Jon Brickner, 34, was charged with third-degree arson after he admitted to police that he started the fire in a first-floor bedroom of the abandoned house, at 135 Ocean Ave., Lynbrook, off Peninsula Boulevard, officials said.
Ocean Avenue traffic was backed up for hours as five fire departments responded to the blaze, which was so intense that a neighboring house caught fire.
"No one had to be rescued from the second building," said ex-Captain Steve Grogan, Lynbrook Fire Department spokesperson. Three Lynbrook firefighters and one Malverne volunteer were injured while fighting the fire. Two were treated at the scene for burns, and one for heat exhaustion due to excessive perspiration. A fourth volunteer, from Tally-Ho Company, also suffered heat exhaustion and had to be transported to nearby Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre for additional treatment. He was later released.
The Lynbrook Fire Department was called at 12:46 p.m., after a woman driving on Ocean Avenue spotted smoke billowing from the house, which is next door to the closed Camp Tanglewood property. She told authorities she noticed a bearded man running from the scene.
"The eyewitness gave a description of the bearded man to Lynbrook Police, who had set road blocks along Ocean Avenue," said Lynbrook Det. Fred Fusswinkel. "The suspect was visually identified as a homeless man who resided in the woods behind Camp Tanglewood."
With assistance from the Nassau County Fire Marshal and Police Department's Arson/Bomb Squad, Lynbrook Police Sgt. James Dillon found the man in the wooded area shortly after 1 p.m. and arrested him. Brickner, a former resident of Oceanside, was taken to Nassau University Medical Center for evaluation. He was being held at the Nassau County jail in East Meadow. The investigation was continuing to determine if the man acted alone, authorities said.
Under the command of 3rd Assistant Chief David Pearsall, firefighters swiftly attacked the fire. A Vulcan Company engine from nearby Denton Avenue was first to arrive and volunteers ran hose lines from a hydrant across the street from the burning house. Firefighters from Tally-Ho Company responded to the scene next, just as the fire blew out second-story windows.
As Vulcan firefighters stretched their hose lines to the front door of the abandoned house, Tally-Ho volunteers broke the door down and began their search for possible squatters who were believed to be living inside.
"As firefighters searched each room, they noticed multiple fires in different rooms on both the first and second floors, and an open back door," Grogan said. In a coordinated effort, Vulcan, Tally-Ho and Engine Company volunteers moved from room to room to control the raging fire before it completely engulfed the house.
Fueling the intensity of the fire were oven-like conditions caused by the house's boarded-up windows. Truck Company responded with two ladder vehicles, one of which was brought onto the Camp Tanglewood property so that firefighters could access the roof of the burning building. The roof was ripped open to release heat and smoke and to protect firefighters as they continued to battle the blaze below.
Meanwhile, Hose Company firefighters stretched another hose line to battle the second fire.
Neighboring fire departments from Malverne, Rockville Centre, Lakeview, East Rockaway and Valley Stream provided mutual aid and standby services to cover any additional fire calls. Emergency Medical Company volunteers responded to the scene with both ambulances and set up a medical treatment area. Lynbrook's Floodlight Unit established a command post to handle communications between the fire chief, all units, mutual aid, and Nassau County. Also on hand were youngsters from Lynbrook's Junior Fire Department, who distributed bottled water to weary firefighters.
The fire lasted nearly three hours before it was finally extinguished around 3:30 p.m. Chief Pearsall estimated the damage at $175,000 to the first house and another $25,000 to the second house. The abandoned house, deemed unsafe, was demolished by order of Lynbrook's Building Department.
"Our volunteers and neighbors, under very hazardous conditions, did a tremendous job putting out this fire," said Chief Pearsall.
