12/30/2007: Working Fire At Wyandanch Church

WYANDANCH, NY – At around 10:10 p.m. on Sunday, December 30, 2007 the Wyandanch Fire Department responded to a fire at the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Roman Catholic Church located at 1434 Straight Path. While Wyandanch chiefs were en route dispatch alerted them that Suffolk County Police already on scene were advising they had a working fire to the rear of the Church. Upon arrival by Chief’s the 13/35 was transmitted for a working fire in a trailer to the rear of the church.

Engine 1-10-5 picked up a hydrant outside the fire building on Straight Path and pumped it to Tower Ladder 1-10-2, which was set up in the parking lot to the rear of the structure. Engine 1-10-4 also positioned themselves in the same parking as they assisted with the fire.

Companies were met with heavy smoke and fire as they began to make their initial attack in the rear of the structure. Soon after they began to make progress with the fire, command advised that fire was showing in the roof of the rectory (a wing of the church running parallel to Straight Path). Mutual aid from Deer Park and North Babylon was called to the scene as firefighters were having trouble locating the source of the fire.

North Babylon responded in with Engine 1-8-8 who picked up a Hydrant a few blocks away down Straight Path and positioned themselves outside the rectory on Straight Path. They pumped their water to Tower Ladder 1-8-6 who positioned themselves against the rectory and began to ventilate the roof. As they began to ventilate the roof heavy fire began to push out and began moving its way towards the main part of the Church. Companies fought the fire from inside as well as outside (via tower operations) to try and stop the fire from taking the entire structure.

Along with North Babylon and Wyandanch’s tower ladders, Deer Park brought an Engine and a Ladder in as well. They positioned themselves in the parking lot along side Wyandanch’s Engine and Ladder.

Despite their best efforts however, the majority of the rectory roof was destroyed including a partial collapse. Three hours after the initial alarm Wyandanch command finally placed the fire under control. It is currently unknown what the cause of the fire was. An investigation is currently underway.