Great Neck Mayor Pedram Bral thanked residents, the county and neighboring villages for the outpouring of support following last Tuesday’s fire at village hall caused by a lightning strike.
“There have been neighboring villages who have sent us their support and have asked us if we need anything,” Bral said Tuesday night at a Zoom meeting to review the impact of the fire. “I want to thank everybody who has been so supportive.”
Bral said an entire section of the west wing of the building is destroyed along with parts of the east wing as well, with flooding in the basement.
John Purcell, chief of the Great Neck Alert Fire Company, said last week officials were notified of flames from the second floor of the village hall last night at 7:25 p.m.
Purcell said more than 100 volunteer firefighters from Alert, the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Department, the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire department, the Port Washington Fire Department, the Plandome Fire Department, the Williston Fire Department, the Albertson Fire Department and the Nassau County Fire Marshal.
A video taken by Bral shows a room with charred ceilings, loose wires and significant water damage.
Bral said most of the village files were stored in a different location from where the fire occurred and believes they can be salvaged. The hardware, he said, experienced the most significant damage.
Restoration efforts will continue until at least the end of the week, if not further, Bral said.
It is unknown the extent of the damages until more work is done, he said.
Part of the power has returned in the building but Nassau County’s Office of Emegency Management has set up a trailer for the village to use as temporary offices.
Village Clerk and Treasurer Abraham Cohan said the village is working tirelessly to get village hall running smoothly again.
“We appreciate all the support from both residents and employees and I ask residents to please bear with us until we get some of the services back,” Cohan said.
The next board of trustees meeting is slated for Sept. 6 and Bral said the village will keep residents updated with where it will be held and that neighboring villages have offered space to hold meetings.
More information on village updates can be found on Great Neck’s website.
