Wantagh Fire Department Responds to Shed Fire on Merrick Road

The Wantagh Fire Department responded to a shed fire reported behind Stern and Stern, a collection agency located at 3002 Merrick Road, at about 1:19 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

According to fire officials, no one was hurt in the fire, and damage to the storage shed, which was empty, was minimal.

James Hickman, division supervisor for investigations for the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office, said that suspicious activity has been ruled out, declaring the cause of the fire accidental.

"Behind this building, there's a picnic table and assorted rubbish," he said. "It appears that there was a fire as a result of the careless disposal of smoking materials...people were back there, having lunch or whatever, and threw a couple of cigarettes into some garbage."

Jo DeLuca, whose son owns neighboring store Gold Coast Kitchens and Baths, said that she knew something was amiss when she smelled smoke.

"All I know is that I started smelling something," she said. "I came out and I saw flames. There was a truck parked right next to the fire, and luckily the owner was here and moved his truck right away. And before you knew it, the fire department was here."

"The fire went up awfully fast in that little corner," DeLuca added. "Thank God that shed was empty."

Representatives for Stern and Stern declined to comment on the incident.