Laundromat Fire

Story and Photos by Ex-Captain Steve Grogan

Just after midnight on May 28, 2016, Lynbrook firefighters under the command of Chief John Chavatte responded to a report of smoke inside a second floor apartment at 158 Atlantic Avenue.  The apartment is above the Atlantic Avenue Laundromat.  First Assistant Chief Carl Lengel was the first chief on the scene and determined that the cause of the smoke was coming from the laundromat.  He ordered Vulcan Company who was on the road to take a hydrant and bring a line to the storefront.  Firefighters forced open the front door and found a heavy volume of smoke.  It was determined that a clothes cart filled with greasy rags from a local Lynbrook restaurant was burning in the cart.  The cart, and the burning rags were extinguished and carried from the storefront.  It was also determined that the fire had no spread to any part of the building or any other belongings.  Fans were used to clear out the smoke.  Firefighters were at the scene for almost an hour.  Floodlight's Command Post was in operation but no mutual aid was requested from neighboring departments.