Fire damages office in Valley Stream

Valley Stream firefighters responded to a blaze at a mortgage broker office near the city line on Wednesday morning.

The call came for a fire at City Line Capital Corporation, at 857 W. Merrick Road at 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 16. About 75 firefighters responded and the fire was put out in less than an hour. Assistance was provided by the Elmont, Hewlett, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Malverne and Woodmere fire departments.

Fire Chief Joseph Fernandez said the fire started in the back of the one-story building a damaged some offices. There was smoke and water damage throughout, and flames also spread through the attic from the back to the front. He estimated damage at about $200,000.

A separate attached office building was unaffected, he said.

Merrick Road was closed in both directions for about an hour between Hook Creek Boulevard and Ivanhoe Place.

Fernandez said the fire is not suspicious, and the cause appears to be a space heater. No one was in the office at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported.