Firefighters Battling Blaze At Atlantic Bluffs
Update, May 9, 9:45 PM: The fire at the Atlantic Bluffs has been mainly extinguished, though the Montauk Fire Department is looking for pockets of fire that may be hidden behind walls or debris.
Meanwhile, a second fire was reported at another Montauk hotel at about 9:25 PM. An outlet was reportedly smoking in a room at the Royal Atlantic at 126 South Emerson Avenue and the occupants told 911 dispatchers they could see embers. The East Hampton firefighters, who had been packing up their equipment at the Atlantic Bluffs, responded to the call. A chief reported the situation was under control.
The East Hampton Town fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire at the Atlantic Bluffs.
Originally, May 9, 8 PM: A fire ripped through the Atlantic Bluffs, a co-op apartment complex on Old Montauk Highway in Montauk, on Saturday evening.
At about 6:50 PM, flames were reported at the unoccupied complex, which also has hotel rentals. There were initial reports the fire was at Hartman’s Briney Breezes next door, but the first responding Montauk Fire Department units reported one of the buildings at the Atlantic Bluffs at 707 Old Montauk Highway was “fully engulfed” with fire on the first and second stories.
Heavy fire and smoke billowed from the complex, which is across Old Montauk Highway from the ocean. The highway was shut down in the area, while firefighters were staging at Briney Breezes motel, where there was devastating fire in 2015.
Firefighters were battling the fire from inside the building, at times, and from a tower ladder. The roof reportedly caved in just before 8 PM.
It is a windy night in Montauk. A gale warning is in effect until 6 AM on Sunday with west winds 20 to 30 knots and gusts up to 40 knots.
Chiefs called for the rapid intervention team from the Amagansett Fire Department, in case interior firefighters need to be rescued, and later for a tanker from the Amagansett Fire Department.
The East Hampton Fire Department was initially called to standby at Amagansett’s headquarters, but then moved up to the fire when Amagansett’s firefighters were used to battle the blaze.
The Springs Fire Department is standing by at Montauk’s firehouse and the Sag Harbor Fire Department is standby at Amagansett’s firehouse.
This is a developing story. This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
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