Riverhead firefighters knocked down a fire at a cement block and wood-frame industrial building on Pulaski Street early Saturday morning, preventing it from spreading throughout the structure.
About 70 volunteers responded to the 4 a.m. call, Chief Tony White said.
“We got it knocked down pretty quick,” White said.
He said there was some fire damage to the rafters of the large structure located at 817 Pulaski Street, on the southwest corner of Pulaski Street and Marcy Avenue. The building houses more than one tenant, with the Long Ireland Brewing Company occupying the western portion of the premises. The fire started and was confined to the opposite end of the building, White said.
Riverhead Town Fire Marshal Craig Zitek said the fire is under investigation but he does not consider it suspicious. “The cause has not yet been determined,” Zitek said.
Long Ireland Beer Co. owner Greg Martin said the fire broke out in the part of the building occupied by a woodworking shop. He said the brewery’s portion of the premises had taken in some smoke and he would be assessing whether any of the brewery’s grains had been affected by the smoke.
Martin commended the firefighters for preventing the fire from spreading throughout the wood-frame structure.
“It’s always a little concerning when you hear the firre department is responding to your building at four in the morning,” Martin said.
A rapid intervention team from Flanders Fire Department was called to stand by at the scene.
Firefighters were released from the scene at 6:03 a.m.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl
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