Two people were injured and dozens of Floral Park residents are displaced after a Wednesday afternoon apartment fire.
Floral Park Fire Department Chief Gilbert Luger said a 21-unit building located at 60 Plainfield Ave. in the village caught fire around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The fire took around 45 minutes to contain.
Two people sustained injuries, one of whom was taken to a hospital and one of whom refused medical treatment, Luger said. He could not provide a number for the number of people in the building at the time of the fire but did not believe many residents were inside when the blaze began.
Officials said the building experienced serious damage. It is unclear when the building’s roughly 40 residents will be able to return.
Over 100 firefighters responded to the blaze, which started on the third floor, according to Luger. The Nassau County Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire, which remains unclear.
In coordination with Nassau County, the Long Island chapter of the American Red Cross set up a shelter at Mitchel Field Administration Center in Uniondale to provide temporary housing to any residents needing it.
On Thursday morning, Red Cross officials said all building residents were able to find housing with family and friends and the shelter was not needed. They said officials would remain on standby for a few days after the fire to open the shelter if need be.
Red Cross spokesperson Frederic Klein said the organization’s Mineola office has contacted a resident in each of the building’s 21 units and is working to support displaced residents’ longer-term recovery needs.
He said this includes helping them replace medication and other important needs lost in the fire, supporting them through emergency financial assistance, mental health counseling, other support services and figuring out their next steps.
Klein said that the organization cannot provide long-term housing to impacted residents, but if someone needed help finding temporary shelter, the Red Cross would connect them with the County government or a non-profit partner who could support them.
Klein said the Red Cross is continuing to work closely with emergency management and government officials to support the residents impacted after the fire.
If any impacted residents need help and have not been contacted by the Red Cross, Klein said they should call 877-272-7337 or visit the Mineola office at 195 Willis Ave, which can be reached by phone at (516) 747-3500.
