Fire at the Pumps: Valley Stream Firefighters Quell Vehicle Blaze at North Central Avenue Gas Station

Valley Stream, NY - Valley Stream firefighters averted a major potential hazard Thursday evening, moving quickly to extinguish an active vehicle fire burning just inches away from commercial fuel pumps on North Central Avenue in Nassau County.

Shortly after 6:00 p.m. on September 10, the Valley Stream Volunteer Fire Department was alerted to an emergency involving an automobile engulfed in flames directly adjacent to the gas pumps at a local service station.

Prior to the arrival of emergency apparatus, the gas station's automated dry chemical fire suppression system discharged over the pump island. While the overhead system managed to dampen the flames, it failed to fully eliminate the burning automobile.

Engine 342 and Ladder 346 arrived as the first-due companies and immediately went to work under high-risk conditions. Firefighters stretched an attack hoseline directly to the pump canopy, thoroughly knocking down the remaining fire, cooling the engine bay, and securing the surrounding pump infrastructure against potential reignition or fuel vapor flash.

All fireground operations were directed under the command of Assistant Chief O’Brien. The quick intervention contained the incident without structural damage to the station canopy or surrounding commercial properties, and no injuries were reported.