Krista McNally Adults and children at a North Lindenhurst day care center are safe after the building went ablaze Wednesday morning the North Lindenhurst Fire Department was alerted to a house on fire on 51st Street the front of the house was "clearly on fire," but all occupants had already been evacuated Suffolk County Police Arson Squad detectives are investigating but the cause initially appears to be noncriminal with assistance from the Lindenhurst Village Copiague and West Babylon fire departments and the East Farmingdale Fire Company and EMS were able to put out the fire within an hour Maureen Mullarkey is a breaking news reporter at Newsday She previously worked as a reporter for Patch where she covered a range of Long Island stories on topics such as the Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy and the Babylon School District abuse scandals Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months 2025 at 12:11 pm ETThe fire broke out early Tuesday morning (Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)LINDENHURST NY — Firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out in a North Lindenhurst home early Tuesday morning North Lindenhurst Volunteer Fire Department crews responded to a fire in a two-story home with flames blazing on both floors on Farmers Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Crews operated three lines to knock down the fire with extensive overhaul needed on both floors photographer Anthony Frevola observed at the scene Lindenhurst and East Farmingdale fire departments bringing an additional two engines and two ladders to the scene Police said arson detectives are investigating the fire but at this time the cause does not appear to be criminal and remains under investigation Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Several people were injured following a school bus crash on Long Island on Sunrise Highway near North Delaware Avenue A total of eight people were taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip Their ages and the extent of their injuries were not immediately clear The scene was declared a “mass casualty incident” by Lindenhurst Fire officials Sunrise Highway remained closed in both directions near the scene as of 6 p.m. according to the New York State Department of Transportation Daily Voice has reached out to the Lindenhurst Fire Department and the Lindenhurst Union Free School District for comment A school minibus and a sedan were involved in a crash at westbound Sunrise Highway and North Delaware Avenue at about 5 p.m Four children and three adults were taken to a hospital with minor injuries after a sedan collided with a school minibus in North Lindenhurst Monday evening the driver of a sedan "failed to stop at a red light" and collided with the yellow bus at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and North Delaware Avenue a Suffolk police spokesperson said via email Monday evening Eight passengers were onboard the minibus at the time of the crash "including five children 5-years-old and younger," the police spokesperson confirmed Four of the children plus the three adults on the bus — the driver a teacher and an aide — were all transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries The fifth child was not hospitalized because their parents declined medical attention on their behalf at the scene was "transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and will be issued summonses for traffic violations," the Suffolk police spokesperson said Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services said at least six mutual aid agencies responded to assist the North Lindenhurst Fire Department politics and crime stories in Suffolk County By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy A photo from the scene shows the car involved heavily damaged in front but the school bus with only light damage Neither the police department nor FRES immediately knew the district to which the bus belonged Calls to transportation company We Transport were not immediately returned Monday evening 2025 at 10:18 am ETThe fire broke out Wednesday morning (Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)The home was occupied by a family and doubled as a daycare facility NY — Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives are investigating a fire at a Lindenhurst home used as a daycare facility on Wednesday Police said the North Lindenhurst Fire Department responded to a call about a house fire at 221 51st St Photographer Anthony Frevola was on the scene and said he observed that firefighters "knocked down the majority of the fire within the first 10 minutes of arrival." Police said they believe the cause of the fire to be non-criminal and there were no injuries and West Babylon fire departments provided mutual aid The National Transportation Safety Board ruled the probable cause of the plane crash was: \"An in-flight fire due to a compromised oil pressure line fitting.\" Firefighters and police responding to a plane crash on 5th Street off of North Wellwood Avenue on March 5 A Pennsylvania woman critically injured in a 2023 plane crash in North Lindenhurst that killed her mother and the flight instructor who'd taken them on an "introductory flight lesson" out of Republic Airport has filed a lawsuit in Queens Supreme Court alleging the crash was "entirely preventable." The March 5 crash was the result of "reckless disregard for basic aviation safety," the suit alleges according to court documents obtained by Newsday filed last week by attorneys Jordan Strokovsky alleges that defendants Waizman Aviation Inc. Danny Waizman and Robert Gainor all ignored warning signs — including prior incidents reporting smoke in the cockpit — in the weeks leading up to the fatal crash "The evidence is clear — this was not an accident but the foreseeable consequence of gross negligence and a failure to prioritize human life over profit," the plaintiff's attorneys said in a joint statement investigation report by the National Transportation Safety Board "an in-flight fire due to a compromised oil pressure line fitting" led to "electrical arcing" and "ignition with the leaking fluid," resulting in a fire and crash during an attempted emergency landing The Piper crashed into trees and ultimately into the ground in a wooded area near Long Island Rail Road tracks in North Lindenhurst a neurosurgery physicians assistant at Mount Sinai West was critically burned in the post-crash fire that engulfed the single-engine Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II She spent months in a medically induced coma was critically injured in the accident and died months later from injuries suffered in the crash asserts that the Piper was not equipped with fire extinguishers and that on two prior occasions in the weeks leading up to the crash there were reported incidents of "smoke in the cockpit," with two flight instructors "employed by the operator" each reporting those conditions Republic Aviation is named as the owner of the plane are owners of the aviation company that Waizman manages and which rented out the plane for the lesson Gainor is named in the suit as the mechanic who serviced the plane Attempts to reach Gainor were unsuccessful A man who answered a phone number listed for Waizman Tuesday identified himself to a reporter as Danny Waizman and said: "I cannot give you anything" and then hung up the phone Calls to Waizman Aviation and 2BA Pilot NYC Corp Tuesday were met with a voicemail instructing callers to text a number in order to book a flight with the companies analysis and reporting on serious crashes on Long Island’s roads 2025 at 7:59 am ETThe fire broke out Thursday night (Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)(Courtesy of Anthony Frevola)LINDENHURST NY — A house fire killed one woman and seriously injured two men in Lindenhurst on Thursday night police responded to a 911 call at 9 Storz Place where three occupants of the home were taken out of the house by first responders was pronounced dead at the scene by the Copiague Fire Department Police said the Suffolk County Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine her identity and cause of death were transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of serious injuries then to Stony Brook University Hospital for further treatment Two police officers were also transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and released no other people were in the house at the time of the fire Police said the cause of the fire is under investigation but does not appear to be criminal at this time Anyone with information may call Homicide Squad detectives at 631-852-6392 or Arson Section detectives at 631-852-6024 The banana started early on Tuesday morning making his way around town to visit pre-K students at a school shopping at King Kullen and even getting a treatment at a local dermatologist's office who with her children were the first to find the banana It all began on Saturday when Jenn Rossetti's family was doing a little spring cleaning and decided to have some fun with a 5-foot tall stuffed banana her son won on a class trip to Adventureland "I told them it’s time for the banana to go It’s just too big and has moved all around the house," Rossetti told Patch so we came up with the idea to post it on Facebook with a picture and a hit to its location to see if anyone would take it and keep it going." Benny hit the road and "Banana Quest" was in full force Rossetti said Benny has a note sharing his Facebook page name with anyone who finds him Benny visited more than 30 locations around his hometown Benny had a slow start on Monday (who doesn't?).His fans began inquiring early a photo surfaced of the banana on a couch with an infant Benny's followers were worried and shared their concerns on Facebook a photo of Benny sitting by a rock was posted "I absolutely love how this banana has brought our community together I love seeing the smiles and the excitement everyone has to find Benny and the trust that we have put into each other knowing he will be sent to another location," Alicia Cusumano told Patch "I honestly thought it was just for the kids until I started seeing people my age getting Benny I want to thank the women who started this; it's so clever and fun." Benny had an early—and busy–start on Tuesday Erkens heard about Banana Quest when a friend shared it on Facebook We showed the kids where he was off to and planned out how we’d find him We had a close encounter last night when our neighbor had him on her lawn We just missed him; you have to be fast," Erkens told Patch "This morning we saw his first post and knew exactly where he was My son was late to school because of Benny-hunting bringing the big banana to Restoration Kitchen and Cocktails to say hi to preschoolers at Universal Pre-Kindergarten and made a point to show him off to Mr then it was time for the next "lucky person" to find him People are excited when they see you with Benny and happy for you Strangers are waving hello and the buzz it has made in our town has been infectious," Erkens said "We hope this goes on for many more days and everyone gets a turn to find him We have a group message going with my other friends and we exchanged 149 messages last night about Benny and his whereabouts The play-by-play and strategizing has been fun for every one of us." is proof that Banana Quest isn't just for kids "I work for the village and on my way back to my shop I put my flashers on and ran out to grab him," Perso told Patch everyone was curious why I had a Rasta banana with me So Perso and his co-workers "decided to round up the largest pieces of equipment we had for a little photo shoot Within five minutes he was gone and off to his next stop," Perso said "Now my daughter and I are trying to scoop him up for her to enjoy." There's something about Banana Quest that brings out the inner child in everyone trying to find him Numerous Banana Questers interviewed said the chase brings them "pure joy" and provides a break from the stress of adult life who brought Benny into the dermatology office she works in nothing but laughs and made me feel like a kid again Someone even followed the banana into the office who treated Benny to several stops on Tuesday and seeing the joy not only for the kids but adults just wanting to have fun is truly special," Bolger said any stresses — it was like it all disappeared for a moment Instead of using bikes like we used to in the 90s In addition to the request for his presence at Lindenhurst High AI called him a "symbol of the community" and Banana Quest merch is being made The adventures of Lindenhurst's 5-foot tall banana don't seem to be slowing down and his followers are already wondering what day five will look like But there's tension on the Banana Quest page a picture was posted saying Benny's on his way to New York City while another post said a crowd awaits his arrival at the high school Will he make it back to his small town of Lindenhurst Where will Benny go next? Let Patch know and send your photos to jade.eckardt@patch.com 2024 at 12:04 pm ETThe fire broke out in a home on 1st Street (AFrevola Photography/Anthony Frevola)No one was in the home when the fire broke out (AFrevola Photography/Anthony Frevola)The home went up in flames shortly after 10 p.m. (AFrevola Photography/Anthony Frevola)Mutual aid was provided by Copiague fire Department North Lindenhurst Fire Department and the Town of Babylon (AFrevola Photography/Anthony Frevola)LINDENHURST NY — Suffolk County Police Arson Squad detectives are investigating a residential fire that took place in Lindenhurst Monday night no one was in the home when the fire broke out on 1st Street around 10 p.m photographer Anthony Frevola observed a "working fire at the rear of the home" on the second floor Firefighters extinguished the blaze using multi lines off engine 1-6-2 which was first on the scene followed by engines 1-6-3 Mutual aid was provided by Copiague fire Department 2024 at 9:39 am ETThe fire broke out on Monday (West Babylon Volunteer Fire Department)West Babylon firefighters responded to the call around 8 a.m (West Babylon Volunteer Fire Department)Multiple crews provided mutual aid (West Babylon Volunteer Fire Department)Suffolk County arson squad is investigating (West Babylon Volunteer Fire Department)WEST BABYLON NY — Firefighters extinguished a fire that engulfed a West Babylon home on Monday the West Babylon Fire Department told Patch West Babylon firefighters responded to a house fire on Hope Street around 8 a.m. First Assistant Chief William Allen was the first on scene and arrived to find the structure "heavily involved with fire," officials said Engine 1-9-6 and Rescue 1-9-15 arrived and searched the home and began suppression of the fire Mutual aid was provided by the Babylon Fire Department North Lindenhurst Volunteer Fire Department Suffolk County police said its arson squad is investigating the fire and no one was seriously injured Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2024 at 6:22 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Andy Pineda has been missing since June 18 from his North Amityville home NY—A 16-year-old North Amityville teen has been reported missing Suffolk County Police Department announced Sunday was reported missing by a guardian on June 21 after he was last seen at his home on West Jefferson Street on June 18 Police are asking for the public’s help to locate him Anyone with information on Pineda’s location may call 911 20th road rage attack in North Lindenhurst The minutes-long brawl ensued after two trucks crashed on Sunrise Highway near North Green Avenue causing one of the two to flip on its side Witnesses say as many as ten people broke out into a physical confrontation on the road swinging baseball bats and two-by-fours," Spiffy Car Wash Express owner Todd Christman recalled "My understanding is nobody was seriously hurt but some people were in the hospital." Police say everyone involved in the fight seemed to have known each other ALSO READ | New laws that take effect in New York State in 2024 * More Long Island news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. 2022 at 4:22 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The fire broke out in North Lindenhurst NY — A fire that broke out at a North Lindenhurst garage on Thursday morning is currently under investigation North Lindenhurst Fire Department received a call about a fire at a detached garage at a North Delaware Ave Flames engulfed the garage, affecting its infrastructure, according to footage captured on social media. and Lindenhurst Fire Department Suffolk County police also assisted The fire was under control within 30 minutes NY — A Bay Shore man was arrested overnight and charged with endangerment after recklessly operating a vehicle in front of a crowd in North Lindenhurst Sunday to a parking lot in the 600 block of North Wellwood Avenue where they found several spectators and numerous vehicles speeding spinning tires and doing “donuts,” Suffolk County police said was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and reckless driving Five people and a dog were rescued from a burning house in North Lindenhurst early Saturday morning three children and a pet dog were trapped as flames and smoke poured out of the house on 45th Street near Sunrise Highway Suffolk police officers who were nearby sprang into action at 2:08 a.m Two First Precinct Crime Section officers found a ladder in the yard and helping the victims and dog get out safely A downstairs tenant escaped through a ground floor rear exit the chief of department at the North Lindenhurst Fire Department Firefighters also were on the scene battling the blaze as it swept through the front of the two-family residence into the second floor and attic “There was a large volume of fire,” Stallone said “It took off across the length of the house." multiple truck companies and about an hour to get the fire under control searched for and found a cat belonging to one of the residents after the fire was put out "The owners called and people were messaging me on Facebook if I could help and I went over today and I looked around It took around five minutes to find her," he said Fire officials do not suspect criminality but the Babylon Fire Marshal's office and Suffolk County Police Department's arson squad will investigate The investigation is routine when the cause remains unknown The single-engine aircraft that crashed in a residential North Lindenhurst neighborhood this month killing one person and injuring two others had smoke in the cockpit during a flight two months earlier according to a preliminary crash report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board the pilot issued mayday calls after reporting a similar condition in the cockpit The NTSB report does not come to any conclusions on what caused the Piper PA-28 plane to go down near Wellwood Avenue as it was returning to Republic Airport in East Farmingdale that day But a review of the plane's logbooks by federal investigators revealed that the pilot had reported "smoke in cockpit during flight on 01/07/2023 Aircraft returned to service with no smoke.” The January incident may have been a warning sign of future problems with the plane an accident investigator and visiting professor at Florida Institute of Technology "It’s a real concern," Malmquist said "An in-flight fire is one of the most dangerous things that can happen … This is a pretty good smoking gun given there was smoke before.” NTSB regulations require an immediate report of in-flight fires said the incident raises obvious red flags and "points to the adequacy of the maintenance and the inspection that was done." aviation director at Farmingdale State College said previous reports of smoke would have been reviewed by maintenance crews who may have been unable to duplicate the problem “It’s not uncommon for a plane to return to service if a pilot reports something and maintenance looks closely and doesn’t find any indication of wires touching or burnt insulation," Canders said Roma Gupta, 63, of Whitehouse Township, New Jersey, was killed in the crash while her daughter The two remain in critical condition at Stony Brook University Hospital The Guptas booked the flight with the Danny Waizman Flight School at Republic which investigators said was a gift from Reeva Gupta to her mother was a demonstration to determine if they wanted to take a flying lesson Dekajlo called the January incident "a coincidence and a red herring," adding that the plane was deemed safe to fly and returned to service on Jan “It’s a preliminary report that raises more questions than answers,” he said adding that the plane was “mechanically sound” and had met all required inspections the plane took seven practice training maneuvers “We’re looking to see what caused the fire,” he said “It may be a mystery for some period due to heat and fire damage.” Chowdhury was on his final approach to Republic when he reported smoke in the cockpit and requested an immediate landing The tower instructed Chowdhury to continue straight for the runway and he advised the tower he was shutting off the radios Chowdhury issued a frantic "mayday" transmission and the plane descended rapidly crashing and erupting into flames between a commercial property and a railroad bed near a residential neighborhood was operating until contact with the ground While the report did not conclude the cause of the smoke it appeared from the report that the pilot followed emergency procedures used during an electrical fire “You don’t want any components of electricity feeding the fire," he said “There’s not many reasons to turn off radios They’re essential equipment during flight.” NTSB investigators said the wreckage spanned 470 feet while the initial impact point was a tree about 60 feet from the ground two boats on trailers were destroyed by burning fuel that spilled from the plane as it passed overhead came to rest 50 feet from the wreckage and was damaged by the impact and fire The right wing was still attached but also damaged in the crash "exhibited extensive thermal damage and some impact damage," the NTSB said seat frame and flight control cables were also heavily damaged by the fire Federal Aviation Administration records show Chowdhury who had accrued 330.5 hours of flight experience held a commercial pilot's license for single He also held a flight instructor certificate for single-engine planes A probable cause determination for the crash 2014 at 8:24 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}SCPD photo (L-R): Gina Giardinello Three North Lindenhurst residents were arrested on Monday and charged in a series of residential burglaries in their hometown over the past two months along with First Precinct Crime Control officers were conducting a surveillance operation in North Lindenhurst on Monday in an attempt to identify and locate the individuals who were responsible for several recent daytime burglaries Officers arrested three people after they were observed attempting to enter a residence on Farmers Avenue in North Lindenhurst shortly before 3 p.m. is charged with 11 counts of second degree burglary and two counts of second degree attempted burglary second degree attempted burglary and fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property is charged with two counts of second degree attempted burglary Vanbourgondien and Tarantino were held overnight at the First Precinct and Giardinello was held at the Fourth Precinct All three are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip The investigation is continuing and police are asking anyone with information about these crimes to call the First Squad at 631-854-8152 LI Crimes: Road Rage Attack, Man Drops Pants in Front of Students, Bank Robbed Twice in 2 Days + Man Charged in Mother’s Murder Police: Man Shot Through His Front Door in Copiague Like us on Facebook for the latest breaking news updates 2023 at 10:57 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The North Amityville Fire Department spent more than $500,000 on "inappropriate purchases" NY — The North Amityville Fire Department spent more than $500,000 on "inappropriate purchases" made between 2017 and 2018 according to the state's comptroller office According to the report from the New York State Comptroller's office, an audit of the fire department's disbursements determined that out of $3.6 million 373 disbursements were reviewed totaling $653,480 Disbursements totaling $585,792 were for "inappropriate purchases" and/or not supported Patch has reached out to the office of the New York State Comptroller and the North Amityville Fire Department for comment Lindenhurst residents Colleen Curry and Kaitlynn McNamara were struck by a car while crossing Sunrise Highway at North Delaware Avenue at 11:55 p.m Both women were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for treatment Curry suffered from serious injuries as a result of the crash Police say the car was a 2006-2009 silver or gray Chevrolet Equinox Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS using a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips text messages and emails will be kept confidential NY — A 63-year-old New Jersey woman was killed in a plane crash on Long Island on Sunday alongside her 33-year-old daughter and a 23-year-old pilot who were injured the attorney of the plane's operator told Patch The Piper PA 28 that took off at Republic Airport in Farmingdale at about 2:18 p.m attorney for Danny Waizman Flight School at Republic Airport A short time later, the pilot issued a mayday signal and indicated there was smoke in the cockpit The plane crashed soon after near the intersection of Wellwood Avenue and 5th Street The 63-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene The pilot and the 33-year-old woman were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries the National Transportation Safety Board said The experience was supposed to be a standard demonstration flight for people who were interested in taking lessons employers give them to employees for bonuses," said Dekajlo He also said that Danny Waizman is a highly reputable school with strict standards "This specific flight school has graduated literally hundreds of pilots who go one to work for major airlines," he said (Photos courtesy Lance Lustig — Drop the Dime Photography) Photos from Drop the Dime Photography show the plane in pieces on the ground, shrouded in smoke as emergency responders rushed to the scene in North Lindenhurst The Piper PA 28 had recently gone through a 100-hour inspection in January and a 50-hour inspection last week "Everything that’s done is first-rate," said Dekajlo As the FAA and NTSB continue to investigate the crash Dekajlo asked others to keep the victims' families in their "thoughts and prayers." 2015 at 9:39 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A school bus carrying a 16-year-old student was involved in a crash in North Lindenhurst on Wednesday afternoon Police said the bus was traveling south on Jackson Avenue when it was struck by a sedan that was turning right from 46th Street onto Jackson Avenue The bus had the right-of-way as there is a two-way stop at the intersection for vehicles on 46th Street a woman driving the sedan and her passenger were not injured The student was not injured but was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for evaluation Sign up for your local Patch newsletter and breaking news alerts here 2011 at 11:08 pm ETFollowing this year's elections for the North Lindenhurst Fire District this past Sunday the department received one new deputy chief with one taking over as chief of the department who was the first assistant fire chief for the Gassen takes over as Tom Moran becomes the ex-chief Moran served as the chief for the last two years And Michael Newman was elected to take over the second assistant position from Baranowski Both will also serve for the next two years "We have three chiefs because we are a smaller department," Baranowski noted There are three companies at the - Engine and Heavy Rescue Two and Hook and Ladder Three - as well as Fire Police and Rescue Company each firefighter who was elected in this year's elections has gone through the ranks working toward a path to reach the chief's position "After becoming a member for a certain amount of years and going through classes and eventually becoming a captain after being second then first lieutenant of one of the companies you're eligible to run for chief - first assistant The number of years and how long it takes to rise through the ranks is different for each member Moran has been with the department since 1999 And Newman's been with the NLFD since 1988 each position within the department Baranowski mentioned has a two-year term no one from the NLFD executive board was up for election Current board members include President Kevin Connel First Vice President John Mays and Second Vice President Glenn Schafer 2021 at 12:40 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Suffolk police responded to a 911 call reporting a fire on Montauk Highway (Photo credit: George Collins)LINDENHURST NY — Multiple abandoned storefronts in Lindenhurst were damaged after a fire broke out early Tuesday morning Suffolk police responded to a 911 call reporting a fire on Montauk Highway Firefighters from the Lindenhurst Fire Department found the blaze broke out at the store on 39 W and West Babylon fire departments also responded to help battle the blaze The cause of the fire was not yet disclosed (Remember: Receive breaking news in your inbox or on your smartphone by signing up for Lindenhurst Patch's free newsletters and breaking news alerts here.) In addition, here are a few more police and fire headlines and other incidents and stories to note: The "mayday" distress call came into the Republic Airport control tower shortly before 3 p.m and was repeated seven more times in rapid succession It was the last communication the tower would have with the doomed Piper PA-28 aircraft before it fell from the sky after a 39-minute flight and crashed Sunday afternoon in a wooded section of a residential North Lindenhurst neighborhood killing one person and critically injuring two others Suffolk police identified the victim who lost her life as Roma Gupta and the two critically injured as her daughter Reeva Gupta Reeva Gupta and Chowdhury were fighting for their lives listed in critical condition Monday at Stony Brook University Hospital which publishes air traffic control broadcasts from control towers and radar facilities provides a window into the harrowing last moments before the single-engine plane went down The frantic pilot tells the air traffic controller that there's "smoke in the cockpit" and that he requires an immediate landing The tower then tells the pilot to continue straight and that he's cleared to land on Runway 32 The line then goes silent for about 9 seconds before the pilot gets back on the line repeating the word "mayday," while indicating there is a fire on board the plane The pilot is not heard from again as the tower reports an "emergency in progress." Another voice says there is a plume of smoke about a mile from the end of the runway The pleasure flight was booked through Groupon by the mother and daughter an attorney for Danny Waizman Flight School at Republic Airport Groupon didn’t respond to questions about its deal with the flight school had undergone 50-hour and 100-hour inspections on Feb certified flight instructor that was doing what they call a demonstration flight," Dekajlo said a mother and her daughter that were onboard there was an emergency that was declared.” said the pilot declared an emergency while returning to Republic Airport in East Farmingdale just before 3 p.m Surveillance video from nearby buildings shows the plane descending and colliding with trees in a wooded area before its final approach to the airport which is recovering the wreckage before bringing it to an off-site facility for further investigation aviation center director at Farmingdale State College said he trains his students on the Piper PA-28 and that the aircraft is commonly — and safely — used for pleasure excursions But he said the plane requires "a great attention to detail," particularly at low altitude when preparing to land "You have to really pay attention and really make sure that you are watching the airspeed; watching the altitude and making sure you're not coming too close or too fast to the runway," Canders said "It's a higher risk environment during the landing." The pilot in Sunday's crash has been flying with the school for almost a year Reeva Gupta is a neurosurgery physician assistant at Mount Sinai West Hospital in Manhattan A man who answered the phone at the Gupta family's New Jersey home declined to comment have created a fundraising page to help offset the family's medical costs along with transportation and lodging expenses A preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report on Monday had earlier erroneously indicated that the person killed in the crash was a member of the flight crew Danny Waizman "is considered one of the safest flight schools at Republic," Dekajlo said and they have a fleet of aircraft that are very well maintained." But this is not the first crash for the flight school in recent years In April 2019, a single-engine Cessna that was rented to the flight school crashed in a Valley Stream neighborhood with three men on board after running out of fuel in dense fog walked away virtually unscathed and no one on the ground was hurt even though the plane came to rest just feet from a home after clipping a church and getting tangled in power lines There have been 54 plane crashes involving personal aircraft on Long Island since 2012 according to the National Transportation Safety Board 13 were fatal crashes that killed a total of 23 people there have been seven plane crashes at Republic Airport; none were fatal there were two nonfatal crashes involving planes that departed from Republic and two fatal crashes that departed from there with the other in 2018 in Melville involving a stunt pilot The plane in Sunday's crash took off from Republic with three people on board at 2:18 p.m. the Suffolk County Police Department’s chief of detectives “That aircraft was attempting to return to Republic Airport where unfortunately it did not make it,” Rowan said during a news conference Sunday near the scene around Wellwood Avenue chief of the North Lindenhurst Fire Department said his team arrived on the scene within minutes of the crash and found that the victims had been pulled from the wreckage by civilians Stallone said Monday during a news conference near the crash scene was conscious and able to confirm to EMTs that there were three people on board the plane He was later intubated by emergency personnel The victims were transported to Stony Brook by police medevac which occurred in a wooded area near several homes are trained to always consider where they can land in an emergency to avoid injuring or killing people on the ground "It is densely populated on Long Island so we teach them to look for places that you may have to land the aircraft — open areas where there's not many trees and not a lot of houses," Canders said "Get to a large football field or a park Stallone suspects the pilot picked the wooded area to avoid striking any homes in the area "We are fortunate for that" he said "because this could have been a lot worse." 2019 at 5:55 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Patch photo: Ryan Bonner)LINDENHURST NY - Curious about what's going on in your neighborhood Check out the recent crimes reported in the area The Suffolk County Police Department posted the following information and those accused are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty 2020 at 10:28 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A man died overnight in a house fire in Lindenhurst NY — A man died early Sunday in a house fire in Lindenhurst had escaped the home when police arrived at 3:10 a.m was found dead in his bedroom after the fire was brought under control The preliminary investigation suggests the fire was not criminal in nature 2014 at 2:16 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Roy R an active member of the North Lindenhurst Fire Department for more than five decades and a former chief Fries joined the fire department on May 13 He was also the president of the department from 2002-04 and 2008-10 as well as president of the Town of Babylon Chiefs Association from 1986-88 he was named Fireman of the Year for saving the life of Joseph Felicio Fries also served as chairman of the FIre Prevention committee educating over 1,500 children a year in fire safety which provides emergency medical service to the North Lindenhurst community A wake will be held for Fries at the North Lindenhurst Fire Department Firematic services will take place at 7 p.m Fries will be buried at Long Island National Cemetery at Pinelawn in Farmingdale The single-engine plane that crashed Sunday in North Lindenhurst killing one passenger and critically injuring two others was a pleasure flight booked through Groupon by a mother and daughter from New Jersey according to the attorney of the plane's operator and the National Transportation Safety Board which is investigating the crash near a residential neighborhood said the pilot of the Piper PA 28 plane declared an emergency while returning to Republic Airport in East Farmingdale just before 3 p.m Surveillance video from nearby buildings shows the plane descending and colliding with trees and the ground before its final approach course to the airport which will be recovering the wreckage before bringing it to an off-site facility for further investigation the attorney for Danny Waizman Flight School at Republic Airport told Newsday on Monday that the plane had undergone 50-hour and 100-hour inspections on Feb The identities of the deceased and injured passengers have not been released A preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report on Monday had erroneously indicated that the person killed in the crash was a member of the flight crew The cockpit recording provides a window into the harrowing moments before the plane went down which publishes air traffic control broadcasts from control towers and radar facilities the pilot tells the air traffic controller that there is "smoke in the cockpit" and that he requires immediate landing The tower then tells the pilot to continue straight and that he's clear to land on runway 32 After about nine seconds of silence the frantic pilot makes repeated "mayday" requests while indicating there is a fire on board The pilot is not heard again as the tower reports an "emergency in progress" while another voice says there is a plume of smoke about a mile from the end of the runway Dekajlo said Danny Waizman "is considered one of the safest flight schools at Republic and they have a fleet of aircraft that are very well maintained" In April 2019, a single-engine Cessna that was rented to the flight school crashed in a Valley Stream neighborhood with three men on board after running out of fuel in dense fog Dekajlo said the pilot in Sunday's crash is in critical condition and is a 23-year-old from the Bronx who were taking a pleasure flight booked via Groupon He declined to identify the three individuals Groupon didn’t immediately respond to questions about its deal with the Danny Waizman Flight School The plane took off from Republic with three people on board at 2:18 p.m The pilot reported smoke in the cockpit in a mayday call to air traffic controllers at Republic shortly before it crashed at about 3 p.m. where unfortunately it did not make it,” Rowan said during a news conference near the scene around Wellwood Avenue shortly after the crash The mayday call was the plane's final communication with the tower “My understanding preliminarily is that they were on a sightseeing tour,” he added “They had been airborne for sometime and this was their final approach or their attempted final approach to the runway.” Suffolk police did not provide an immediate update about the crash Monday morning or a timeline for when the pilot may be publicly identified Two were treated at the scene for third-degree burns the deputy coordinator of Suffolk County Fire They were later transported to Stony Brook University Hospital via police medevac “The third victim succumbed to their injuries here at the scene,” Rowan said Rowan said the plane crashed close to buildings in a residential neighborhood "We are very fortunate that nobody else on the ground was injured; obviously … We’re just happy that nobody else was hurt," he said Emin Aydin of North Lindenhurst saw thick black smoke rising in the air as he returned home from food shopping The two survivors already had been removed from the plane and one victim "was all burned." He and others tried to wrap them with blankets and get them to safety The airplane landed about 300 feet south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks in North Lindenhurst Tom Altieri was getting out of his vehicle around 3 p.m to enter his East June Street home in North Lindenhurst when he said he noticed a single-engine plane unusually “low and slow.” Altieri said he’s used to the constant sight of planes overhead but he had never seen one this low to the ground Within seconds of seeing the plane pass over him he said he heard “a somewhat large explosion” followed by a plume of smoke “I knew immediately it was that plane,” he said Mahida Ali had the windows of her home open to enjoy the 52-degree day when she noticed clouds of smoke in the air around 2:55 p.m She first thought a house was on fire or maybe a neighbor was celebrating the good weather with a barbecue But “the smoke was just too much for it to be a barbecue,” she said adding that her husband Hafiz Ulhaq went to investigate where he discovered a throng of bystanders and a swarm of emergency services responding to the crashed plane The couple said they’re used to planes passing their Bolton Street home every 5 to 10 minutes Ulhaq said he’s worried they could “land on our roof." A motorcyclist was killed after colliding with a vehicle on Straight Path in North Lindenhurst Saturday night was southbound on a 2015 Yamaha near Colonial Road at about 8:15 p.m when he crashed into a northbound 2015 BMW attempting to make a left-hand turn into a driveway The motorcyclist was transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip where he was pronounced dead Detectives are asking anyone with information about the crash to call First Squad investigators at 631-854-8152 2014 at 11:45 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Photo Credit: Lisa Anne Kiraly A Ridge woman was seriously injured in a two-car crash in North Lindenhurst Monday afternoon and the driver of the other vehicle now faces a DWI charge was driving a 1999 Dodge Caravan west on Sunrise Highway at about 4:15 p.m when her vehicle was struck by a 1996 Honda Civic that was heading east near Buffalo Avenue appeared to be making a left turn from Sunrise onto Buffalo when the collision occurred Yanez was transported by North Lindenhurst Fire Department Rescue to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where she was treated for fractures to her right leg Batista-Tejeda was also transported to Good Sam Batista-Tejeda was arrested and charged with DWI The investigation is continuing and both vehicles were impounded for safety checks Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or observed the Honda Civic prior to the crash is asked to call First Squad detectives at 631-854-8152 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS Police: N. Babylon Man With 17 License Suspensions Arrested at Motorcycle Checkpoint LI Crimes: Caught on Camera Keying Mercedes, 2 Fatal Shootings, Heroin Bust, Psychiatrist Arrested 2024 at 11:15 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)LINDENHURST NY — A Lindenhurst man faces multiple charges after an incident Sunday morning Suffolk Police said an officer attempted to stop a 2009 GMC Yukon westbound on Sunrise Highway but the driver fled at high speed The vehicle eventually stopped at 10:15 a.m at the intersection of Copiague Road and 49th Street in North Lindenhurst but the driver refused commands to get out Police said they observed he had glassy eyes and dileted pupils the driver was taken to a local hospital for evaluation the 49-year-old was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle while Impaired by Drugs 1ST Degree and Obstructing Governmental Administration 2nd Degree There were also two active bench warrants out for him 2023 at 12:44 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A home on 45th Street was damaged in a weekend fire (Suffolk County Police Department First Precinct via Twitter)LINDENHURST NY — A Lindenhurst family was rescued by police from a house fire early Saturday Law enforcement received a 911 call about the fire shortly after 2 a.m. Two officers in an unmarked vehicle were in the area and responded to the home on 45th Street “Thankfully all members are safe, but sadly, they lost everything,” a GoFundMe for the family said Anthony and Luciana and Nellie the family dog) are a loving family who deserve our support to help them get back on their feet clothing and other household items are appreciated.” the GoFundMe had raised about $13,000 toward its $25,000 goal An investigation into the fire was ongoing and the cause had not yet been determined Suffolk County police detectives are investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash Saturday near 47th Street and Straight Path in North Lindenhurst Suffolk County police detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash A passenger in one of the cars was killed when they collided in a residential neighborhood near the intersection of 47th Street and Straight Path about 1:05 p.m. Police on Saturday did not identify the cause of the crash and said the investigation is ongoing No arrests have been made; no citations were issued was in his 1988 Pontiac Firebird northbound on Straight Path when his vehicle collided with a 2004 Hyundai Elantra that was traveling westbound on 47th Street in Lindenhurst Lindenhurst was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where she was treated for minor Scagnelli was also transported to Good Samaritan where he was treated for minor non-life-threatening injuries Neither Mazur nor Scagnelli could be reached for comment Saturday Novak’s family could also not be reached for comment North Lindenhurst Fire Department and Copiague Fire Department transported the victims Both vehicles were impounded for safety checks Vicky Ramos was making traditional Colombian empanadas out of a beloved takeout spot in North Lindenhurst back in 2011 a decade before the handheld snacks became trendy on Long Island The deli closed the following year so that Vicky and her partner The metal storefront gate remained firmly shuttered In a stealth move designed to surprise the neighborhood Ramos and Gonzalez rallied to covertly prep the shop and reopened in mid-May “The only reason we’re here is because of the community,” Gonzalez said They covered our rent for nearly two years the Lindenhurst Fire Department was called to the Gonzalez-Ramos home A candle started a blaze that burned through the upstairs and the entire home was lost “All I cared about was Dominik’s stuff," Ramos said She was able to salvage his drawings and stuffed animals But the family — which also includes sons Kaysen 10 — is living in trailers while their home is rebuilt Vicky's serves about 30 types of empanadas including traditional beef There's a modified menu of sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas, and tacos, as well as catering on the store's Facebook page the family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support “The lines have been out the door; I feel awful for the waits,” Ramos said but we are also so very grateful to our community.” Vicky’s Casa del Sabor, 771 Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, 631-225-5040. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; vickyscasadelsabor.com Babylon is trying to unite junior firefighter programs at eight fire departments for townwide drills and events to build a pipeline of future adult volunteers Junior firefighter programs allow kids from as young as 8 to 17 years old to learn the basic skills of firefighting the teens often go on to join their departments as adult volunteers The first event will be a hands-on drill on Sunday for the junior firefighters in the Amityville North Lindenhurst and West Babylon fire departments Retired FDNY instructors will help guide the juniors in the drill The effort is an attempt to increase fire service volunteerism the number of firefighters has dropped from 110,000 to under 80,000 in the past 20 years according to the Firefighters Association of the State of New York “We’re trying to get ahead of this and gain the interest while they’re young,” said Terence McSweeney a Babylon Town councilman and FDNY firefighter who also volunteers with North Babylon’s department There will be about 50 girls and boys ages 12 to 17 taking part in the drill which will involve using the Jaws of Life on donated vehicles to simulate extracting someone said North Lindenhurst Fire Department volunteer Cirino Sesto It’s the first time the department junior programs are coming together The total number of youth in the programs was not available “These kids are the future of the volunteer fire service,” Sesto said “If we can get these kids early and get them to see what it means to be a volunteer said that not only has recruitment of volunteers been increasingly difficult many volunteers are now in their 60s or older “It’s a strain on the community,” he said “A 65-year-old guy may not get out of bed as quick as you need them to.” has been a part of the North Lindenhurst juniors program for two years He said he joined because it was a "great opportunity to be part of the community and help it" and had seen how his older sisters but it's also tough sometimes cause the stuff we do is the same thing that actual firemen do," he said McSweeney credits a juniors program as igniting his interest in becoming a professional firefighter “Walking into the firehouse after they’d been to a fire and smelling the smoke “And then talking to the guys and learning what they did … I was 8 years old and I was hooked.” said his junior program experience taught him about accountability and how to handle stress “It’s put my life in perspective and helped me keep my feet on the ground in the face of adversity,” he said He aims to have the junior programs meet several times a year “My goal is to get this program unified so that everybody in the town knows that if your kid doesn’t want to play sports or if there’s nothing in school that interests them give the fire department a try,” Sesto said “You’ll be helping the community and may even save a life.” The scene after Shameek Brown of Amityville was fatally struck by a car on New Highway on the border of North Amityville and North Lindenhurst A pedestrian was struck by a car Thursday night in North Lindenhurst and later died Police identified the victim as Shameek Brown He was transported by North Lindenhurst Fire Department ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow was driving his 2007 Nissan north on New Highway when he struck Brown at about 9:50 p.m near the intersection with New Horizons Boulevard The accident location is on the border of North Amityville and North Lindenhurst Police said Purse remained at the scene and was not charged His Nissan was impounded as part of the continuing investigation Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call the First Squad at 631-854-8152 or anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS