Babylon Turnpike [8-28-13]
Minutes after noon on August 28th the Roosevelt Fire Department was alerted to a reported garage fire at 154 Babylon Turnpike between East Fulton and Frederick Avenues. Nassau County Police First Precinct officers were among the first to arrive on scene. These police officers immediately advised of a working fire and requested a forthwith response from the fire department. Moments later Roosevelt Ladder 735 and Engine 737 were the first companies to arrive on scene. Engine 737 stretched at least two lines to start fighting the confirmed working fire. Due to the time of day manpower was low and the request for mutual aid began. As the operation went on the fire load increased eventually consuming two residential garages behind the original fire building. A surrounding exposure, an auto body shop on the number four side, would soon succumb to the intense heat and smoke.
At its peak the daytime fire reached a third alarm equivalent bringing in various units from across the County. Among the units on scene were Elmont [acting] Ladder 708, Freeport Engine 211, Merrick Engine 643, North Merrick Ladder 673, North Bellmore Ladder 657, Hempstead Ladder 2, Uniondale Engine 752, East Meadow Ladder 617, West Hempstead Engine 767, an engine from Oceanside, and Hempstead Engine One. Baldwin sent an engine, Ladder 206, and Ambulance 2010A to the scene as well. Also part of the mutual aid plan was South Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Bellmore, and Bellmore Merrick EMS among others. Later into the operation Nassau County Fire Communications rolled their field com unit to the scene to assist. About two hours into the operation the main body of fire was knocked down but pockets still remained inside the original fire building. Firefighters had difficulty accessing these pockets because of prior collapses. The decision was made to bring in a pay loader and raze the building to hit the remaining spots of fire. It took hitting the fire from all sides and several firefighters to contain the blaze. The last units left the scene around 20:00 hours in the evening. The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but it was apparent that fuels inside the building helped feed the fire. All fire department units were under the command of Roosevelt’s Chief of Department [7300].
Video from the scene: https://youtu.be/5tjpYiFw1OY
Read MoreAt its peak the daytime fire reached a third alarm equivalent bringing in various units from across the County. Among the units on scene were Elmont [acting] Ladder 708, Freeport Engine 211, Merrick Engine 643, North Merrick Ladder 673, North Bellmore Ladder 657, Hempstead Ladder 2, Uniondale Engine 752, East Meadow Ladder 617, West Hempstead Engine 767, an engine from Oceanside, and Hempstead Engine One. Baldwin sent an engine, Ladder 206, and Ambulance 2010A to the scene as well. Also part of the mutual aid plan was South Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Bellmore, and Bellmore Merrick EMS among others. Later into the operation Nassau County Fire Communications rolled their field com unit to the scene to assist. About two hours into the operation the main body of fire was knocked down but pockets still remained inside the original fire building. Firefighters had difficulty accessing these pockets because of prior collapses. The decision was made to bring in a pay loader and raze the building to hit the remaining spots of fire. It took hitting the fire from all sides and several firefighters to contain the blaze. The last units left the scene around 20:00 hours in the evening. The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but it was apparent that fuels inside the building helped feed the fire. All fire department units were under the command of Roosevelt’s Chief of Department [7300].
Video from the scene: https://youtu.be/5tjpYiFw1OY
