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New York-area fires started by person making s’mores, officials say

11 March 2025 at 12:41

The Long Island brush fires that startled communities across Suffolk County over the weekend were likely caused by a person attempting to cook s’mores in their backyard, officials said Monday.

One person was using cardboard while attempting to make s’mores in the backyard of a Center Moriches home, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said Monday.

The person struggled to create a flame for the toasted marshmallow dessert due to the winds but accidentally set their backyard on fire, Catalina said at a press conference. Firefighters doused the flames at the home by around 10:30 a.m.

However, embers from the initial blaze were blown southeast by strong winds out of the northwest, sparking the fires that eventually sent smoke soaring into the sky, Catalina said. The first 911 calls about the larger brush fires came in just before 1 p.m.

Firefighters respond to a brush fire in Suffolk County in New York's Long Island on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
Firefighters respond to a brush fire in Suffolk County in New York’s Long Island on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Steve Pfost/Newsday via AP)

“All of those fires are in a direct line with the strong northwest wind that was blowing that day,” Catalina said. “We feel very, very strongly that this is an accidental fire.”

A massive response from local firefighters kept the brush fires south of Sunrise Highway, part of which was closed on Saturday as crews battled the flames.

By Monday morning, all visible flames had been extinguished and smoke-eaters were taking preventative measures to stop new fires from sparking. Conditions on Long Island are expected to remain dry throughout the week.

This image from video provided by Andrew Tallon shows smoke from fires in New York's Long Island, on Saturday, March 8, 2025, seen from Southampton, N.Y.
This image from video provided by Andrew Tallon shows smoke from fires on Long Island Saturday seen from Southampton, N.Y. (Andrew Tallon via AP)

“This was a fire that could’ve been far more serious than it was,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said.

 

Two firefighters were injured battling the flames but released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon. Two commercial buildings were damaged, but no residential structures were harmed.

Gov. Hochul instituted a burn ban for New York City and Long Island on Sunday, one week earlier than usual. Romaine had his own blunt advice at Monday’s press conference: “Don’t cook s’mores.”

Firefighters respond to a brush fire in Suffolk County in New York’s Long Island on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Steve Pfost/Newsday via AP)

Dozen pupils fall sick at New York middle school after eating cannabis gummies

4 March 2025 at 12:43

Twelve children at a Long Island middle school were sickened Monday morning after ingesting marijuana gummies distributed by a student, the school said.

Eleven of the sick children at William Floyd Middle School in Moriches were taken to a local hospital, while one was released into their parents’ custody, according to the school.

“We are grateful to our first responders for their quick response, thankful that the students will be treated and hopeful that they will recover quickly,” read a message on the school’s website.

Suffolk County police responded to the school about 60 miles east of Central Park around 10 a.m. All the students who fell ill were 13 or 14 years old, cops said.

No criminal charges will be filed in the incident, police said. Any discipline will be handled at the school level, and no further information was released.

How the middle school student obtained the THC gummies to hand out to their fellow students was not explained by William Floyd Middle School or Suffolk County police.

With widespread legalization of marijuana across the country, there have been numerous incidents in which children have accidentally ingested weed gummies.

Last year in New Jersey, four children at Phifer Middle School in Pennsauken were hospitalized in mid-February after eating such gummies.

Two months later, two elementary school siblings, a 9-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl, were hospitalized in Port Reading after they consumed cannabis gummies.

William Floyd Middle School in Moriches. (Google Maps)
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