Candles fueled a fire that ravaged a Great Neck Torah study center late Friday night on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for the Jewish faith.
“The situation was very bad on a holy day, but thank god there was nobody in there,” Great Neck Alert Fire Chief John Purcell said.
The Saddle Rock Minyan, located in a house on Greenleaf Hill, caught fire shortly after midnight Friday night, Purcell said.
Purcell said one man was sleeping in the home at the time of the fire but was able to escape once fire alarms woke him up before the Great Neck Alert arrived. No injuries were reported.
Purcell said the Great Neck Alert Fire Company arrived within six minutes of receiving the first calls reporting the fire and immediately sprayed the fire with water.
Upon arrival, Purcell said the front of the house was “totally engulfed” in flames, with fire coming out of the front window of the first floor and coming up to the second floor.
The cause of the fire was determined to be lit candles for the holiday left unattended near the front windowsill.
Purcell said the fire was under control within an hour.
Purcell said all religious items, including seven Torahs, were removed from the home.
The center’s members sent a letter to the Great Neck Alert thanking them for their response.
Purcell said the fire caused the building to undergo “extensive damage.” He said whether the center will be rebuilt is still to be determined.
Great Neck Alert received mutual aid from the neighboring departments of Manhasset-Lakeville, Great Neck Vigilant, Port Washington, and Plandome.
Also at the scene were the Nassau County Fire Marshal and Nassau County Police Arson Bomb Squad.
Efforts to reach members of the Great Neck Minyan were unavailing.
