Monica R. Martinez

Yesterday’s devastating Central Islip fire has left many business owners, employees, and families facing uncertainty, and my thoughts are with everyone affected during this difficult time.

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the more than 300 firefighters from 40 departments who responded and worked tirelessly for over five hours to contain this massive blaze. Their bravery, dedication, and commitment to protecting our communities cannot be overstated.

I am also wishing a full and speedy recovery to the firefighters and police officer who were injured while responding to this emergency. We are fortunate to have such extraordinary first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others.

As the recovery process begins, my office is prepared to assist those affected in any way we can and help connect businesses and residents with available resources.

We stand with the businesses impacted and our entire community during this challenging time.