Firefighters Battle Vehicle Blaze In Mattituck

MATTITUCK, NY — The Mattituck Fire Department was called to the scene of a vehicle engulfed in flames on Maratooka Road Tuesday night.

According to the MFD, the call came in about 7:5 p.m. for a brush fire at the location; when Southold Town police and fire chiefs arrived, it was determined that there was a fully involved vehicle fire — with the vehicle partially in the woods. The fire had started to spread into the woods, the MFD said.

The sole occupant of the vehicle had self-extricated and was safely away from the fire, officials said.

Crews stretched a hand line and started to extinguish the fully involved vehicle. Next, Engine 861 arrived and secured a positive water source from a fire hydrant about 500 feet down the road and supplied Engine 3 the water needed to extinguish the fire, the MFD said.

Crews then stretched a second hand line into the woods to stop the spread of the flames through the surrounding wooded area, officials said.

The Mattituck Fire Department Rescue Squad was also at the scene and attended to the driver of the vehicle, who was then transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for evaluation, the MFD said.

Fire police shut down the road while crews operated; fire personnel were at the scene for about 90 minutes.

The fire scene was under the command of Chief of Department James Cox Jr., with the assistance of 1st Assistant Chief Robert Haas and 2nd Assistant Chief Steven Ficner. The scene was turned over to Southold Town Police for further investigation.