Four calls in 10 hours: A busy night for the Riverhead FD
Volunteer firefighters of the Riverhead Fire Department were tied up for nearly 10 hours this week responding to back-to-back emergency calls in Riverhead, all in just one night, according to a news release.
The night started at 11:01 p.m. when an engine, ladder truck and around 25 firefighters responded to a carbon monoxide activation on Tuesday, July 29, at Friar’s Head Golf Club at 3000 Sound Ave. After determining the alarm was activated in a golf cart storage area, the power was shut off to the impacted area, and the scene was cleared a little over a half hour later. No injuries were reported, and the Riverhead Town Fire Marshal was notified to follow up.
Two hours after responding to this call, the Riverhead Fire Department was activated once again for a fully involved commercial truck fire in front of 48 Kroemer Ave. at approximately 1:12 a.m. Nearly 50 firefighters, two engines, a ladder truck and one support vehicle extinguished the blaze. The scene was then turned over to Riverhead police and the town fire marshal.
There was only a short break for the first responders before they were alerted of a two-story residential structure fire at 6:21 a.m. and made their way to the scene at 954 Northville Turnpike. In addition to the 50 Riverhead firefighters, two engines, two ladder trucks and three support vehicles, mutual aid from neighboring departments was also requested.
The Flanders, Jamesport, East Quogue and Westhampton Beach Fire departments assisted, as well as the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance and Riverhead Town Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The Eastport Fire Department was also on standby. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and released.
The Riverhead Town Police Detective Division, Riverhead Fire Marshal’s Office and the Suffolk County Police Arson Squad took over the scene for further investigation at 8:26 a.m. Not long after, the Riverhead Fire Department was requested back to the home at 9:04 a.m. to extinguish a smoldering area from the previous fire.
