A tanker truck crashed in a massive fireball that damaged or destroyed several buildings and forced the closure of Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre Wednesday, Nassau County police said.
The extent of any injuries was not immediately known.
Police said the crash is believed to only have involved the tanker and said that it hit a building at about 1:15 a.m. near North Centre Avenue, spilling fuel that then erupted in a fire, setting buildings ablaze on the east and west sides of the wide intersection.
The crash has closed Sunrise Highway in both directions between North Centre and North Park avenues, and it is believed those closures will remain in place through the morning rush-hour and likely beyond.
The location is yards north of the intersection of North Park, Lincoln Avenue and Merrick Road.
Rockville Centre police, Nassau police, firefighters from several South Shore jurisdictions in Nassau, Nassau County fire marshals and Nassau Arson Bomb Squad detectives, as well as police ambulance crews all responded to the scene.
Additional details were still emerging and the extent of any damage was not immediately known Wednesday morning, police said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee’pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
