Fire damages Manhasset clothing store

An early-morning fire that closed Northern Boulevard in Manhasset for several hours caused considerable damage to a Daffy's clothing store and smoke damage to two nearby buildings, fire officials said.

Nassau fire marshal's office division supervisor Vincent McManus said the fire appears to have started in an area between the ceiling and roof of the clothing store at 1990 Northern Blvd. A neighboring Apple Store and Astoria Federal Savings bank suffered smoke damage, he said. He said a third building was unoccupied.

Police were first called to the scene to investigate a burglar alarm that had been triggered at 4:30 a.m. and, McManus said, officers arrived to find smoke coming from the building. Firefighters were notified. It appears the alarm was triggered by the fire, McManus said. The investigation was continuing.

Fire officials said volunteers from the Manhasset-Lakeville, Port Washington, Great Neck, Plandome, Roslyn, New Hyde Park and Garden City Park fire departments were on scene with 20 pieces of equipment and about 100 firefighters.

The fire closed Northern Boulevard in both directions between Shelter Rock Road and Searingtown Road.

Police said the road was closed for about four hours.

No one was injured.