Arson May Have Sparked LI Blaze

Arson may have sparked the fire that burned through 1,000 acres of brush and forced evacuations on Long Island last month, officials said Thursday.

The cause of the fire in Manorville and Ridge in Suffolk County on April 9 was “incendiary or arson,” according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. A spokeswoman said they could not provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.

A Suffolk County police spokeswoman said the department does not believe the cause of the fire was natural, and said it is still undetermined at this time.

Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in the county, and firefighters from more than 100 departments on Long Island responded. Three were injured, and several buildings were damaged.

Last month, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone called the blaze “the worst Suffolk County has seen since the Pine Barrens fires of 1995.”