Valley Stream Macy's back open after fire

A fire at Macy's West at the Green Acres Mall disrupted holiday shoppers and shut down the department store on Thursday. The store was back open on Friday.

Valley Stream firefighters were called to the store for a fire in an escalator shaft at 11:20 a.m. on Dec. 22. Fire Chief Joseph Fernandez said the department received multiple 911 calls.

The fire was located between the first and second floors, and Fernandez said there were flames coming from the walls and ceiling. First-arriving firefighters were met with heavy smoke. Fernandez said that escalator machinery, as well as oil, grease and wires, caught fire and spread to debris in a catch basin.

Fernandez said the fire took about 45 minutes to bring under control. Firefighters had to rip open ceilings, walls and floors to get water on the flames. All units from Valley Stream, with a total of about 60 firefighters, responded and remained on the scene for nearly two hours.

There was one minor injury. A customer suffered smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene.

Firefighters did their best to salvage merchandise, Fernandez said, noting that this is a tough time of year for a store to have to close down. He said the store manager told him a restoration company was being called in to try and get Macy's West re-opened as quickly as possible. Fernandez estimated the damage at $100,000.

Fernandez said the cause of the fire is not suspicious and believed to be an electrical malfunction.

An employee answering the phone on Friday morning said the store was open again for shoppers. Friday's hours are 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Christmas Eve.