By: Andrew Coen
Police officials at Nassau County's Fourth Precinct said that officers responding to a burglar alarm at David's Famous Pizza, at 580 Central Ave., found the shop's side window broken and gas cans inside. But investigators at the Nassau County fire marshal's office stopped short of calling the blaze arson, and said they are continuing to investigate to determine whether it was started intentionally. At this point, they have deemed it "suspicious." The investigation will also look into whether the business was targeted in an anti-Semitic attack.
Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Chief Edward Koehler responded to the blaze, which was only a few blocks from department headquarters, with 25 firefighters. He said the fire did not appear to be an accident, since an accelerant was spotted. "There were certain things discovered at the scene that indicate this was intentional and not accidental," said Koehler, who did not offer specific details because of the ongoing investigation by the fire marshal's office.
An alarm company placed a call to 911 at 2:35 a.m. on Jan. 19, stating that the pizzeria's burglar alarm had gone off. Firefighters were summoned, and the Lawrence-Cedarhurst department responded with three fire trucks and was able to extinguish the blaze within minutes, according to Koehler.
He explained that the fire erupted in the rear of the building, in the hallway that separates the dining area and kitchen, but damage was minor due to the quick response of the firefighters. "The damage was very minimal to the contents, because we were there within minutes," Koehler said. "They did a really aggressive job."
The fire erupted when temperatures were hovering just above 10 degrees. "When my men stepped out after taking care of the blaze, they were ice-cold," said Koehler.
The pizzeria will remain closed while the fire marshal's office continues to investigate, and will not reopen until the Cedarhurst Village building department inspects the property to see what renovations need to be completed, according to village officials. According to Koehler, the building sustained water damage when the shop's sprinkler system was activated, and also lost electrical service.
Located across the street from the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School, David's Famous Pizza is a popular spot for students during lunch and after school. HAFTR students were on their winter break when the fire occurred.
In addition to kosher pizza, the restaurant also serves borekas, stuffed pretzels, calzones and falafel. Since the shop has been closed, its owners have not been reached for comment.
Anyone with information on the fire is asked to call the fire marshal at (516) 742-3219.
Comments about this story? ACoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
