LIE service road at Exit 48 reopens after camper fire

The north service road of the westbound Long Island Expressway has reopened after being closed for about an hour Friday afternoon at Round Swamp Road because of a camper fire, officials said.

The fire began in the engine compartment of a 35- to 40-foot Gulf Stream camper and spread to the rest of the camper and a propane tank, Assistant Chief Paul Mahler of the Melville Fire Department said.

"The driver tried to self-extinguish at first. It appears a safety on the propane tank blew and it became kind of a blowtorch," Mahler said.

There were no injuries, and the fire, first reported about 1:30 p.m., was extinguished about 2:30 p.m., Mahler said.

The lane closing was reported at 1:36 p.m., and police also closed the Exit 48 westbound ramp of the LIE in Plainview, forcing vehicles to remain on the highway at that spot, according to the informny.com website of the state Department of Transportation. The incident was resolved as of 2:35 p.m., the website said.

Mahler said the camper was a live-in, with a full bathroom, kitchen and sleeping area. He said the driver, whose name was not released, was alone in the vehicle at the time and gave a local address.