Members of five local fire departments, including Hicksville, battled an early morning blaze on Prospect Avenue in New Cassel on Saturday, Dec. 3. The fire completely destroyed two local businesses and damaged two others.

At 5:47 a.m., the Westbury Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Joe Pascarella, responded to a working fire at 998 Prospect Avenue, just east of Brooklyn Avenue. Upon arrival firefighters found the building which housed a laundromat fully engulfed in flames with the fire spreading to adjourning stores including the Westbury Deli.

Over 50 Westbury volunteers responded to the alarm and mutual aid was provided by some 40 volunteers from the Hicksville, Carle Place, East Meadow and Jericho Fire Departments. In total, there were 13 units on scene. The fire was brought under control in about an hour and a half and there were no injuries.

According to Chief Pascarella, the deli and laundromat were completely destroyed while the Elm Tree barber shop and Mrs. Chan’s Kitchen received mostly water and smoke damage. The preliminary cause of the fire was believed to have been a heating unit in the laundromat. The Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating.