Police probe car fires in East Patchogue Pathmark parking lot

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed two cars in the parking lot of a Pathmark on Thursday night in East Patchogue.

Suffolk County police said the fire on Medford Avenue was reported just after 10:30 p.m. Fire officials said volunteers from the North Patchogue Fire Department responded to the scene. A police canine unit also was requested.

Police said details of the investigation were still emerging. There were no injuries immediately reported -- and police said no one had been arrested.

Later Thursday, firefighters from Nesconset battled a blaze at an unoccupied home on Lake Avenue South.

That fire was reported at 11:01 p.m. There also were no reported injuries at that scene.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

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.”