Officials Assess 'Extraordinary' Tanker Explosion Response

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — Village of Rockville Centre officials are assessing their emergency response in the wake of the gas tanker explosion on Sunrise Highway.

"This could have ended very differently if it wasn't for their heroic actions," Mayor Francis Murray said of the first responders' efforts.

No one was seriously injured from the crash and fires on the morning of Feb. 16.

Murray hosted an online roundtable discussion.

Village Administrator Nancy Howard, who was alerted of the accident and toured the area by 2:30 a.m., said it was chaotic, if not orchestrated.

"The amount of people that had already arrived was extraordinary," she said.

Various village departments, including water and electric, were at the scene in the early hours after the tanker collided with the vacant Laz-E-Boy store.

"It was very impressive to see everybody in this village, who are trained to some degree but not to the degree of our first responders, to come in, know their responsibilities and act on them immediately, was extraordinary to see," Howard said.

Fire Chief James Avondet, who heard the crash from his apartment, used his training and experience in handling the emergency.

"[I] set the tone for everybody there," Avondet said. "They react how you react."

The explosion dangerously emptied thousands of gallons of gasoline, causing fires in sewers and manholes. Avondet called for a third alarm to the situation within 30 minutes.

Overall, more than two dozen fire departments assisted Rockville Centre. Avondet said the fires were under control by an hour and 45 minutes.

Avondet said the mutual aid worked "flawlessly."