At 01:07 AM this morning, Wading River Fire Department (WRFD) was dispatched to a report of a residential structure fire on 20th street. Multiple calls were being received for visible fire from a home. Wading River Fire District Medic 80 upon opening the door at WRFD Station #2 was met by a nearby homeowner telling him that there was a house on fire on 20th street. WRFD 3rd Assistant Chief Denise Gluck (6-3-33) was first on scene and confirmed that this would be a “working fire”. Chief Gluck had Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services (SCFRES) reactivate WRFD for the “working fire” which automatically started WRFD Mutual Aid pre-plan which would bring in additional personnel and equipment from neighboring departments. Chief Gluck completed a 360-degree survey and reported to responding WRFD Chief of Department Mark Donnelly (6-3-30) that the fire was in a single-story residential structure as well as two vehicles on fire next to the home and a 2nd residential structure was being threatened by the fire due to the windy conditions and close proximity. She also reported that all the occupants of the home were out and accounted for.
WRFD Chief Donnelly and Engine 13 arrived a few minutes later with Chief Donnelly taking Command and Chief Gluck being assigned to Operations. Engine 13’s Officer, Lieutenant Matt Jakubowsky and the crew, hooked up to a nearby hydrant and immediately stretched a hose line to begin an aggressive interior attack to knock down the fire. Engine 13’s crew also stretched an additional hose line to extinguish the car fires and cool the neighboring structure. WRFD Ladder 4 arrived, stretched additional hose lines, supported Engine 13’s crew and set up to perform vertical ventilation.
Arriving Mutual Aid units from Riverhead FD, Ridge FD, Rocky Point FD, and Manorville FD were immediately put to work performing primary and secondary searches of the residence, helped with the hose lines, provided ventilation and checked for any possible extension into the neighboring structure. Brookhaven National Laboratory FD stood by as a Rapid Intervention Team in case of any injured or trapped firefighters. WRFD Medic 80, WRFD EMS personnel and a crew from Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance set up rehab for the firefighters and stood by in case of any injuries. Manorville Community Ambulance and Sound Beach FD stood by at WRFD to handle any additional calls in the district. SCFRES coordinators 601, 507 and FC50 were on scene to provide support to Chief Donnelly and the operation.
Because of the hard work of everyone on scene, the fire was declared as being under control at 01:45 (38 minutes after dispatch). Crews remained on scene until 03:17 AM performing “overhaul” to expose any hidden fire or embers and packing up their equipment. Members had to deal with gusty winds and icy conditions. There were no injuries reported.
The scene was turned over to the Riverhead Town Fire Marshalls office for investigation.
Chief Donnelly would like to thank ALL the members of WRFD, the mutual aid departments, The SCFRES coordinators, The SCFRES dispatchers, The Riverhead Fire Marshalls, and Riverhead Town Police for their support, hard work, and dedication.