Residents alarmed during blast at Hess station

A fire suppression system that accidentally activated at a Hess gas station — a blast that bystanders said made a loud noise and released a blanket of white powder — alarmed motorists and nearby residents last week in what they initially thought was an explosion.

Fire Chief Scott Kemins described the incident as “not serious,” although the initial blast of powder from the system startled some motorists.

The incident occurred on March 18 at the Hess station at 450 Long Beach Blvd. According to Kemins, the station’s fire suppression system accidentally activated at 3 p.m. “We got a call just as it happened,” Kemins said, noting that there were eight firefighters and three fire department vehicles on scene.

In total, firefighters were at the station for about 30 minutes. Although the incident may have alarmed some, Kemins said that the system’s accidental activation was not dangerous.

“It was not serious at all,” Kemins said. “There was no situation.”

Kemins explained that the system, which is located above the station’s gas pumps, is supposed to activate in the event of a fire.

“It sprays powder and automatically shuts down the gas pumps,” Kemins said.

Kemins explained that the Nassau County Fire Marshal said the system might have been triggered due to temperature changes, saying that the warmer weather could have set the sensitive system off, covering the station with a “with a blanket of powder.”

Kemins said the fire department received several calls about the incident from concerned residents.

“People who saw it didn’t know what to make of it,” Kemins said, adding that there was a substantial amount of powder. “Some thought there was a fire. Some saw this big cloud of smoke. It wasn’t anything that would be a hazardous situation.”

John Houlihan, an eyewitness and West End resident who said he was at the station, described the incident as “scary.”

“I had just finished filling up my car with gas when the powder came down,” Houlihan said.

He said that when he heard the loud noise as the system activated, he instinctively ducked and ran from the station.

“I ran like hell,” Houlihan said, noting that he was one of eight or nine people who were sprayed with the powder.

“It’s a big station,” Houlihan said. “There must have been about six cars there. The powder came down on everybody.”

Houlihan said that when he spoke with other bystanders shortly after the incident, many said they briefly had thoughts of Sept. 11, due to the copious amount of ash-like powder that covered them.

“We didn’t know what it was, it was frightening,” he said. Houlihan said that he saw several people treated in the fire department’s ambulance, but he did not accept treatment. Kemins said that there were no injuries, and no one was hospitalized.

Comments about this story? CEngelhardt@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.