By Nancy Hiler
The wires sparked flames, the van exploded and the Long Island Power Authority shut off power to homes and businesses in the area.
The call reporting an automobile accident came in at 4:42 p.m. on Nov. 8, a North Bellmore Fire Department spokeswoman said. First Assistant Chief Al Boland, who was first on the scene, saw that the vehicle was on fire and the pole it had struck was cracked, which had loosened the overhead wires and sparked the flames. He ordered a call to LIPA so the electrical power could be turned off, and had the area evacuated. The driver had climbed out of the van right after the crash, escaping harm.
Firefighters had to keep their distance until the power was cut, since the sparking power lines soon fell on top of the van, which caught fire and then exploded. Flames could be seen for miles, as the fire was fed not only by the van's full tank of gas but by auto supplies inside it, including containers of oil and aerosol cans, a department spokeswoman said.
The North Bellmore department called for assistance from the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Hazardous Material Division as a precaution. With several North Bellmore units responding to the incident, the Bellmore and East Meadow fire departments provided standby coverage at their station houses.
North Bellmore firefighters eventually extinguished the blaze, and there were no injuries. Power was restored in most of the area within an hour. A section of Jerusalem Avenue, from Bellmore Road to Peapond Road, was closed the following morning while a crew from LIPA worked to repair the damaged lines.
Comments about this story? NHiler@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
