Mastic Beach Pier Fire That Spread To Reeds, Approaching Nearby Home On Sunday, Deemed Accidental: Police

MASTIC BEACH, NY — The stench of charred wood was remained in the air on Monday morning at Cranberry Pier, where a blaze broke out on Sunday afternoon.

Pieces of debris were strewn in the road, which is located at the end of Cranberry Drive fronting the bay, and yellow tape blocked the entrance to the dock.

A portion of the pier's walkway close to the beach appeared severed from the fire damage, making it impossible to traverse.

The fire has been deemed accidental by the Brookhaven Town Fire Marshal's office, Suffolk police said.

Since news of the dock's destruction spread, residents have been driving to see the extent of the damage.

Nearby resident Joe Terrusa did not hear about the damage, so he was shocked when he showed up to have his morning cup of coffee by the waterfront.

"It's sad," he remarked, shaking his head.

He discounted any idea that the fire was accidental, saying that it looks intentional.

"I think they have to look into it better, if you look at the dock and see how badly it's burned," he said. "You know what, this is light brush. I can't see light brush causing it, if something was flicked there."

"It just spread," he added.

The blaze broke out just before 5 p.m., drawing firefighters alerted by Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services that the pier was burning and spreading into reeds, with winds pushing flames and smoke directly toward a nearby home, the Mastic Beach Fire Department said in a post to Facebook.

The department's chief was the first to arrive and directed multiple hose lines to attack the fire, according to the post.

"Thanks to the fast, aggressive work of our members, the main fire was knocked down quickly," the post stated. "However, the pier’s plastic decking created extensive smoldering and hidden pockets of fire."

Fire crews remained on scene for about an hour-and-a-half, while cutting and disassembling the burnt sections to fully extinguish all hotspots, the department said.

Officials noted that a full crew was out training when the call came in, and they quickly ceased operations, returned the truck to service, and responded in "a great testament to the dedication of our members and their commitment to continually improving their craft."

The fire comes two days after Suffolk officials issued a warning that the county was in danger of brush fires spreading due to high winds.

A state-wide burn ban is in effect until May 14.

The dock is a popular fishing and crabbing spot, and looked at by many as a little-known secret in Mastic Beach. It has been repaired and rebuilt over the years due to storm damage.

Terrusa, who also goes fishing at the dock, bemoaned the damage done by the fire.

"It's disgusting," he added.

This story will be updated. Check back later.