Crime & Safety

Families Displaced After Tanker Fire on Sunrise Highway

The Town of Hempstead opened a warming center at Merrick Road Golf Course Clubhouse to accommodate the residents.

Families were displaced after atanker fire broke out on Sunrise Highway in Bellmore late Tuesday night between between Auto Zone and the Harley-Davidson dealership.

Town of Hempstead spokesman Mike Deery said that five to six homes on Brevoort Place received minimal damage. 

The town opened a warming center at Merrick Road Golf Course Clubhouse to accommodate the residents. 

According to police, a fuel truck traveling eastbound on Sunrise Highway, struck the rear of a vehicle stopped at a red light at Newbridge Road around 11:52 p.m. 

The truck turned on its side and continued east on Sunrise Highway, spilling fuel, coming to a stop at Brevoort Place.

The drivers of both vehicles were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.   
 
The garage of the Harley-Davidson dealership received extensive damage due to the fire. A private company was on the scene Wednesday, cleaning up the contamination. 

"We're working closely with local officials and emergency responders to ensure the safety of our residents and clean up the area," Town Supervisor Kate Murray said. 

The town is creating sand dams to absorb and contain fuel from entering storm drains and contaminating waterways and building department officials are inspecting local buildings to ensure public safety.  

The Department of Conservation and Waterways is interfacing with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to protect against waterway contamination from spilled fuel and the highway department will salt the roadways. 

On Wednesday morning, Murray praised all of the emergency responders. 

"They did a great job," she said. "A whole neighborhood could have been lost." 


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