Babylon assistant chief hurt in crash

Firefighters were putting out a vehicle blaze on the Robert Moses Causeway in West Islip when a rubbernecking driver hit a Babylon assistant fire chief, who was in his car, from behind Tuesday afternoon, according to the West Islip Fire Department.

No one was in the car on fire, but the drivers in the accident were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip for minor back and neck injuries, said Second Assistant Chief Blaise Gemellaro.

He said firefighters responded to the car fire on the northbound causeway shortly after 3 p.m. A Babylon assistant chief happened to be traveling south on the causeway and was trying to secure one of the lanes when he was hit from behind while in his vehicle, Gemellaro said.

The other driver was not identified and his condition couldn't immediately be determined.

About 30 firefighters responded to the car fire and accident, Gemellaro said. The cause of the fire is being investigated, he said.