Fire breaks out for a second time at Bulldog Grille in Amityville

Two fires ripped through the Bulldog Grille in Amityville, one in the morning, then 18 hours later, officials said.

Firefighters from 11 departments responded to the fire, which was reported at 1:09 a.m. and was under control by 5 a.m., fire officials said.

The blaze at the popular eatery rekindled 18 hours later, at about 9:30 p.m., Amityville police said. It was under control about 45 minutes later, according to the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services.  

In the early morning fire, one firefighter was taken to a hospital to be evaluated and was later released, said Gavin Budde, second assistant chief of the Amityville Fire Department.

"There was a lot of fire on our arrival," Budde said. "We had no idea where the fire started and it was going through the second floor and the roof. The second floor is for private parties."

He said firefighters stretched four hose lines and used two tower ladders to pour water on the fire.

"It was old construction, so we had a lot of pulling down paneling and walls to get at some of the fire," he said.

Images from the scene show flames shooting through the roof of the restaurant, a stand-alone building on Merrick Road.

The damaged eatery was closed when the second fire started, police said, and no one was injured in the nighttime blaze. Other details were not immediately available late Tuesday night as firefighters from Amityville, Massapequa and Copiague continued working at the scene. 

With Ellen Yan