Huntington Harbor Protected From Auto Body Shop Firefight Contaminants - Huntington, NY Patch

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HALESITE, NY — The Town of Huntington Harbormaster's Office took measures to prevent chemicals related to an auto body shop fire from seeping into the harbor, the town announced.

A building that houses both Hendrickson Car Care and Tom's Auto Refinishing and Collision was badly damaged in a blaze on Friday afternoon.

Senior Harbormaster Fred Uvena anticipated that chemicals, petroleum and other contaminants in the runoff from the firefight would travel to the harbor, so he called for the Town of Huntington's Spill Response trailer and coordinated a multi-agency response, including the U.S. Coast Guard and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, according to Supervisor Ed Smyth.

The Spill Response trailer carries a soft boom that, when deployed, absorbs contaminants and prevents them from entering the harbor, Smyth said. The boom was deployed behind the American Legion Hall, where the spillway reaches the harbor.

The fire started around 3:40 p.m. Friday, and roughly 100 firefighters needed three hours to douse the flames.

By 4:30 p.m. Friday, a double soft boom had been laid across the narrow channel containing all contaminants and preventing them from reaching the harbor, according to Smyth.

The boom that was used to protect the harbor from chemical runoff related to Friday's fire at Hendrickson Car Care and Tom's Auto Refinishing and Collision. (Credit: Town of Huntington)

"The U.S. Coast Guard and NYS DEC inspected the site immediately after the fire was extinguished and expressed their satisfaction with the efforts made to contain the runoff," Smyth said.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, the Harbormaster's office inspected the site with the DEC and the Coast Guard. Both agencies indicated the water was clear, uncontaminated, and no further action or remediation steps were needed, according to Smyth.

The boom is set to be removed by the Harbormaster's Office on Tuesday.

"Thank you to our Fire Chiefs, firefighters, first responders and the professionals we have working for the Town who keep our communities, roads and waterways safe!" Smyth stated.

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