9 stores damaged in storefront blaze in Syosset, officials say

A Monday morning fire damaged nine stores in a row of storefront businesses in Syosset, forcing the closure of a busy suburban street near the Long Island Rail Road station for almost three hours, Nassau County police and fire officials said.

An MTA spokeswoman said the fire did not affect service at the nearby Jackson Avenue station.

Authorities said there were no reported injuries.

The call reporting the fire at the storefront businesses on Ira Road was received at 7:17 a.m., police said.

Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office division supervisor James Hickman said the fire originated in a store belonging to Mathnasium, spread to an adjacent Chinese restaurant, and said the first store suffered moderate-to-severe fire damage, while the restaurant was moderately damaged.

He said seven other businesses in the row had smoke damage.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Hickman said preliminary indications are it was accidental.

Firefighters from Syosset, East Norwich, Oyster Bay, Westbury, Bethpage and North Massapequa all responded to the scene, which is across from another shopping center and close to the intersection with Jackson Avenue — one block from the LIRR station.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”