Story & Photos by Ex-Captain Steve Grogan

On Friday morning, April 5, 2013, the Lynbrook Fire Department was dispatched to a reported car fire at the LIRR Station on Sunrise Highway.  Chief Anthony DeCarlo was first on the scene and emptied his car extinguisher as smoke blanked the area and fire was spreading in the engine compartment of a Volvo parked in the roadway in front of the station on Sunrise Highway.  After the Chief's extinguisher failed to put out the fire, Lynbrook police officers tried with an extinguisher from a police car.  Although somewhat knocked down the car was still on fire.  At this point Truck Company and Vulcan Company arrived on the scene.  One hose line from Vulcan put out the fire and Truck Company overhauled the engine compartment.  The owner of the Volveo, who just had the car serviced by the Volvo dealership the day before, said that he was driving westbound on Sunrise Highway when he saw smoke.  He then drove into the LIRR station area and was told by a passing commuter that his car was on fire.  Fire was visible from the bottom of the car under the engine.  After the fire was extinguished Lynbrook police officers put the owner of the car in handcuffs after they learned from a computer check that his license had been suspended and that he had numerous previous other suspensions.