4-alarm fire at Floral Park building prompts massive response; 2 firefighters injured in truck accident

Nassau County Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro says the fire started in the basement of 266 Jericho Turnpike around 11 a.m.

Bob Doda and Antoinette Biordi

Apr 17, 2023, 5:50 PM

Updated 615 days ago

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Seventeen fire departments responded to a four-alarm fire Monday at a building in Floral Park.
Nassau County Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro says the fire started in the basement of 266 Jericho Turnpike around 11 a.m. The building houses an acupuncturist and a travel agency on the first floor.
The second floor of the building also has business suites. More than 125 firefighters are on the scene.
During the response, Uttaro said that a Floral Park firetruck struck a pillar near the Long Island Rail Road overpass on Tulip Avenue. Two firefighters were injured, one of them was taken to the hospital.
At the scene, three firefighters were injured. Two of them were treated at the scene for exhaustion.
All of the occupants of the building were able to get out safely on their own. Suzanne Primm was evacuated out of her apartment next door.
"I saw the firemen run in and say, 'Everybody get out,'" Primm says. "I have my phone and my car keys, that's it."
Power was shut off to most of the businesses nearby on Jericho Turnpike, interrupting an accountants office hoping to get taxes done before Tuesday's deadline.
"It's a very crazy time of the year and tomorrow is the deadline, and we have a lot of extensions, as well as returns pending," said Prakash Chavda, a CPA at the office.
Fire officials say it's too early to determine the cause of the fire.
The Floral Park Village Building Department will assess the damage and determine if the building is a total loss.