By: Karenlyn Barone
On a morning when it was advisable to stay indoors, about 20 residents of the Atria Assisted Living Complex in Lynbrook scurried out into the 12-degree cold after a burst pipe gushed water into the first-floor lobby.
The Lynbrook Fire Department received a call about an electrical fire at the 200-bed senior center on Peninsula Boulevard at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, according to First Deputy Chief David Pearsall, and upon their arrival, firefighters found a waterfall from the ceiling cascading into the building's lobby.
Fire officials determined that the leak was caused by a burst sprinkler pipe in the ceiling. The water caused the lighting fixtures in the lobby to short-circuit, and the force of the waterfall pushed out ceiling tiles and quickly flooded the area.
We shut the power down to eliminate any hazards other than the water, said Pearsall. During that time about 15 to 20 residents evacuated the building on their own.
With the intention of providing a warm haven for the seniors who had evacuated, and with the possibility that all residents might have to leave the building, Pearsall put out a call for mutual aid. The East Rockaway, Valley Stream and Hewlett fire departments answered, sending ambulances, which protected those who chose to leave the building from the bitter cold.
We investigated the building, and found no fire or smoke as a result of the water leak, said Pearsall.
The department stopped evacuating residents and instead escorted them to other floors, away from the flooded lobby. About an hour later, those who had evacuated on their own were escorted back into the building when power was restored.
Pearsall called in the Lynbrook Building Department and the Nassau County Fire Marshal's office. There were no injuries reported.
Most residents thought it was just another of our many activities, said Atria-s executive director, David Pomerantz. We gave the situation a positive spin later that day by blowing up balloons and having pizza. Everyone has emergencies, and we-re trained to handle them.
Pomerantz said he was grateful to the Lynbrook Fire Department, the police department and the volunteers who responded so quickly.
