Vehicle careens off exit ramp of Northern State, sets Dix Hills house on fire

A vehicle leaving the Northern State Parkway careened off an exit ramp, crashed through road signs and ignited a house fire early Monday in Dix Hills, authorities said.

Firefighters from at least 15 departments responded to the scene on Deforest Road North after receiving a call at 5:49 a.m., authorities said. The location, at Exit 42N for Deer Park Road, is separated by a small wooded area from the Dix Hills Fire Department.

"There's a pocket of homes over there, just off that ramp, and (a minivan) veered off the road, hit the house — and ignited the house." said Drew Silverman, a Dix Hills Fire Department spokesman.

The minivan ignited upon impact and started a fire that spread into the attic, Silverman said.

The driver, a 67-year-old man, "lost control" of his 2022 Chrysler, struck the Deforest Road North house and was transported to a hospital with minor injuries, according to a Suffolk County Police Department spokesperson.

The residents of the multifamily building were home and safely evacuated. No other injuries were reported, Silverman said.

Firefighters from Dix Hills were joined by volunteers from Deer Park, North Babylon, Halesite, Huntington Manor, Melville, Centerport, Greenlawn, Northport, East Northport, Commack, Brentwood, East Brentwood, Smithtown and Plainview, fire officials said.

Ambulance crews from Huntington, Commack and Brentwood also responded to the scene.

Officials said crews from the New York State Department of Transportation were working to replace signage damaged in the crash.