Fire Damages Retail Store, Apartments in Westhampton Beach

Chief Scott was joined shortly by first assistant Chief Larry Saccente, second assistant Chief Jeff Wachenfeld, and Chief Darryl Schunk, who assumed command.

“The firemen had the fire out in probably about 45 minutes or an hour, and then the rest of us stayed to cleanup and overall, make sure that the thing stayed out,” John Neely of the Westhampton Beach Fire Department told Dan’s Papers.

The Westhampton Beach Fire Department dispatched two engines, a tower truck, and a fire police vehicle, while multiple East End departments provided mutual aid. Center Moriches contributed a ladder truck, Quogue provided two engines, and Eastport and East Moriches each sent additional equipment. Riverhead and Hampton Bays also supplied engines, and Flanders Fire Department stood by at Westhampton headquarters until relieved by Southampton Fire Department, which then sent an engine to the scene.

Westhampton Beach Fire Department’s fire police closed Main Street from Sunset Avenue to Mill Road for the duration of the response. Westhampton Beach Village Police, Westhampton Dunes constable, and New York State Police supported traffic management. Ambulances from Westhampton War Memorial, East Moriches, and East Quogue were on scene, with Shirley EMS providing a rehabilitation unit for responders.

While firefighters contained the blaze to the building, flare-ups complicated efforts to fully extinguish the fire. Adjacent structures were undamaged, though water damage affected the first-floor retail area, where firefighters worked to minimize damage by covering merchandise. Displaced residents were sheltered at the firehouse, with support from Suffolk County OEM and the Red Cross.

The Southampton Town Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

TOLA wrote about the fire on Instagram.

“Sadly, the apartments in our building caught fire early this morning and the damage is severe, including the shop,” the post reads. “Thankfully nobody was badly injured. We will be closed for the foreseeable future and will keep you informed as details are uncovered.”