Firefighters on scene at the Riverhead Home Depot on Monday. (Credit: Grant Parpan)
A fire that appears to have started in some plastic lawn chairs sent black smoke into the air outside the Home Depot on Route 58, and was put out relatively quickly by the Riverhead Fire Department on Monday afternoon, according to department spokesman Bill Sanok.
“The fire started in the deckchairs outside the building,” he said. “It started outside and went up the outside wall.”
He estimated around 100 lawn chairs burned in the blaze.
The chairs were outside the store in an area near the garden centre, he said.
Between firefighters, the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance and police, nearly 50 first responders were on the scene, he said.
“No one was injured in the fire,” he said.
Firefighters brought a hose inside the building and checked the roof to make sure the fire hadn’t spread, Mr Sanok said.
“There was quite a bit of damage outside,” he said.
The Riverhead Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. The Suffolk County Police Arson Squad also responded to investigate. The fire appears to be non-arsonable and the investigation is ongoing, according to Riverhead Town Police.
The store remained closed on Monday.
A Home Depot spokesperson said the situation continues to evolve.
“The safety of our associates and customers is our number one priority,” the spokesperson said, adding that additional information was not yet available.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Riverhead Police at 631-727-4500, ext. 312.
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