Extinguisher leaves Shirley gas station covered in dust

A Hess gas station on William Floyd Parkway in Shirley was covered in thick white dust Sunday afternoon after an employee mistakenly set off the outside fire prevention system due to a burning smell inside the station’s convenience store, a fire official said.

About six cars and some customers at the station were blanketed in the dust.

The incident occurred at around 4 p.m., one customer said.

Jim Mickert, assistant fire chief at the Mastic Fire Department, said a ventilation system belt broke, causing the burning smell. In response, he said an employee mistakenly activated the red extinguisher tanks above the gas pumps instead of the fire alarm.

Dawn St. John, who was on her way to work in Jericho, said she was inside her Kia sedan when she heard a popping sound above the car and then saw white extinguisher dust cover her car and the entire station floor.

She wound up calling in sick, she said.

No one appeared to be injured.