More than 20 cars damaged in early-morning fire in Brookhaven, officials say
A fire at an auto auction storage yard damaged or destroyed more than 20 cars early Tuesday morning in Brookhaven, police and fire officials said.
Suffolk County police said a 911 call reporting the fire was received at 3:27 a.m.
Suffolk fire officials said firefighters from Brookhaven, Bellport and Mastic Beach responded to the scene on Montauk Highway between Bellport and Arthur avenues.
An aerial view showed a massive lot with hundreds of vehicles on it. Footage from the scene showed multiple vehicles on fire.
Officials said one firefighter was taken to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue for treatment of an unspecified “medical issue.”
Police said the cause of the fire is under investigation by Arson Squad detectives and was undetermined Tuesday afternoon. This is routine and does not necessarily mean the fire is suspicious.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
