Long Beach man, on foot, dies in fire truck collision

A Long Beach man crossing the street was killed when he struck the side of a fire truck responding to an emergency call, Nassau County police said Thursday.

Fidias Amaya, 67, a part-time custodian at Long Beach City Hall, was walking west across National Boulevard shortly before 10:45 p.m. Wednesday when he crossed the median and ran into the side of a Long Beach Fire Department truck heading south on National Boulevard, police said.

He was pronounced dead at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside shortly afterward, police said, and the incident was ruled an accident.

Amaya's family said he was walking home from Long Beach Hospital, where he had received a CT scan after a collision earlier in the day.

Long Beach City Manager Charles Theofan confirmed that Amaya had been taken by a Long Beach Fire Department ambulance to Long Beach Hospital at 8 p.m. Wednesday, less than three hours before the fatal accident.

Det. Lt. John Azzata of the Nassau police homicide squad said Amaya had been treated for head and facial injuries at Long Beach Hospital.

Amaya was discharged from the hospital at 10:05 p.m., Theofan said.

Citing privacy laws, Long Beach Hospital spokeswoman Sharon Player declined to comment on Amaya's visit to the hospital.

Calls to the Long Beach Fire Department were not returned Thursday.

Azzata said the fire pumper truck was responding to an emergency call at the Grandell Rehabilitation & Nursing Center on West Broadway in Long Beach when, witnesses said, "they observed Mr. Amaya run . . . directly into the side of the vehicle."

The truck stopped after that happened, Theofan said.

Azzata said police had spoken to the driver of the pumper and people at the scene. "There is no criminality believed to be involved," he said.

"They were responding to an emergency call that was learned later to be a false fire alarm," Azzata said, adding, "I don't have any explanation as to the reason of him running into the side of the fire truck."

At the West Chester Street home Amaya shared with his wife, Cruz, and three of their children, relatives gathered to grieve Thursday.

Amaya emigrated from El Salvador about 25 years ago to support his family, said Jacqueline Suarez, 46, who is married to Amaya's nephew.

"Then he brought his family here. He got his citizenship. He really busted his butt," Suarez said.

Grandson Danny Amaya, 24, recalled his generosity, demonstrated recently.

"For Halloween he was giving out candy to the kids with the dog, because the dog was dressed like a bumblebee," Danny Amaya said, weeping.