Fireworks damage Mineola catering hall during event, police say

Fireworks from a tube launcher exploded and damaged a doorway outside a Mineola catering hall where about 100 people were attending an event inside, Nassau police said.

Witnesses said that at about 11:25 p.m. Thursday, they saw a man outside the Jericho Terrace Catering Hall on Jericho Turnpike pointing at what appeared to be a large pipe at the north, outside wall of the building, according to police. The witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and seeing smoke and an explosion, police said.

The man was seen running south on Mineola Boulevard.

There were no injuries, police said.

"Nobody was evacuated" from the catering hall and the incident had "zero effect to any affair going on," Robert Stevenson, general manager of the hall, said by phone Friday.

Police initially reported the explosion had come from a pipe bomb but revised their determination after an investigation.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477.