Lynbrook fire on Merrick Road leaves 26 people out of their homes

More than two dozen people, including 10 children, were displaced from their homes Monday after a fire tore through a Lynbrook building, according to the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office.

The three-alarm fire began shortly after 1 p.m. a Merrick Road building containing businesses on the first floor and apartments on the second, said Michael Uttaro, the county's chief fire marshal.

The blaze started in the ceiling above a hair salon and then spread to neighboring businesses as well as two apartments. A total of 10 fire departments responded to the scene following a 911 call and the blaze was brought under control within an hour, Uttaro said.

There were no injuries, but the Red Cross reported that 16 adults and 10 children could not return home, he said.

In total, four apartments and four stores were damaged in the fire, Uttaro said.

A fire marshal investigator has determined the fire was caused by an electrical issue and is not suspicious.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.