The smell of fire permeated the air for blocks, and even more than ten hours after a blaze destroyed the South Bay Elementary School in West Babylon, the smell hung heavy in the air. But it was closer inspection of the building that confirmedthe extent of the blaze and the complete devastation it caused to a building that students were to return to on Monday following a week’s vacation. Water seeped from the fire-torn roof and poured down the side of the charred walls and into the hallways. Only last week filled with school children, those halls were now immersed in blackened sheetrock and mortar, wires, pipes and other debris. The fire broke out late last night, Thurs., Feb. 18. TheWest Babylon Fire Department received a call that the firealarms had gone off and Chief Pete McArdle was first on the scene. He was quickly joined by Chief Chrissy Manzi and 1st Ass’t. Chief Jim Campbell. With heavy smoke conditions evident, the two chiefs called in the second alarm, which brought in more firefighters and equipment from West Babylon, as well as from other neighboring departments. In all, Campbell said that approximately 20 firedepartments responded, either to the scene or to act as standby at some of the firehouses. “Thecall sent into motion a series of events and protocol and we had all of the resources of the Town and County working with us,” said Campbell. Approximately 200 firefighters were at the scene battling the blaze for hours. Thatwas followed by hours of checking to ensure the firedid not restart and hours of beginning the work of investigating the fireand securing the scene.

Photo by Joe Comparato About six firefighters sustained minor injuries at the scene and were sent to the hospital where they were treated and released. While the cause of the fire has not been determined, largely because of the extent of the damage, it is not suspicious, said Babylon’s Town’s Chief Fire Marshal Gil Hanse. “We are continuing to look for the cause of the blaze, but the fire was so devastating that it will take some time.” He said the building’s structure was compromised and estimated that 80 percent of the building at least will have to be demolished. Campbell said that when first arriving units got to the scene, they quickly knocked down the fire. “But as soon as we got the nozzle off, it came right back, largely because by that time the gas lines had been compromised.”

Adding to the fire’s force was the building’s structure. Built in 1951, the roof was wood, as opposed to the metal that goes into today’s structures. The long hallways also acted as a conductor for the flames, said Campbell and the 8-inches of snow on the back portion of the building made it difficultfor firefightersto battle the blaze from the rear. Rumors that the firewas caused by a gas leak or an oil burner malfunction could not be confirmed,though fireofficials said the firelikely started in the area where the oil burner is located and the building’s structure contributed to the way in which the firetraveled and took over the building. Theinvestigation as to how the firestarted is continuing.