Utility Pole Crashes Down in Rite Aid Parking Lot

A Verizon telephone pole with three LIPA transformers and three large cans of mineral-based oil to cool them came crashing down in the Rite Aid parking lot in North Lindenhurst just after 12 p.m. on Sunday.

No one was injured, but one of two cars that were next to the old utility pole sustained slight damage, according to Anthony Cardali, Fire Marshal.

His office, along with and the , responded, though there was no fire, Cardali said.

“The fire department cordoned off the area,” he said. “The pole, which is owned by Verizon and has LIPA power distribution on it, cracked at the bottom due to age. Luckily it wasn’t a busy day, and it only grazed one car.”

It caused a loud boom that was heard inside Rite Aid, said the fire marshal. And about 90 gallons of the “more environmentally friendly, mineral-based oil” from three cooling containers holding approximately 27 gallons each spilled onto the parking lot and into the storm drain, explained the environmental representative for LIPA/Hazmat.

“Actually it’s more of a dry well because it isn’t attached to the drainage system found on Sunrise Highway,” noted Cardali, adding that it meant it was contained and not in danger of draining into local waters or the water supply.

The drain’s one of three in the Rite Aid lot LIPA’s environmental rep tested for the mineral-based oil. It was the only one in the lot that contained it due to its proximity to the down pole, the rep assured.

“There were no PCBs in the cans that broke open, just mineral-based oil,” he added.

The stores in the 600 block on Wellwood Avenue, including Rite Aid and Applebee’s, and the row of stores in Sunrise Plaza where Hollywood Video used to be lost power for about an hour after the pole fell.

“Rite Aid and Applebee’s were closed until power was restored by LIPA,” said Cardali, who added that power was restored so quickly because of underground transformers that feed the stores.

King Kullen remained unaffected because, he said, its power is fed from Spiegelhagen Avenue.

One of the LIPA crew on scene explained that the small portion of the Rite Aid lot, including the Sunrise Highway entrance, stayed closed Sunday afternoon, not only because of the down pole, but also because of the remaining pole, whose wires remained energized because of the restored power.

He said if it or its wires were to have fallen in the wind on Sunday afternoon, it would’ve been dangerous.

Suffolk Police also responded to block the Sunrise Highway entrance to Rite Aid. They stayed until the area was secure.

As of late Sunday afternoon New York State Department of Environmental Conservation had been notified, and a crew from NYS DEC-licensed, Yaphank-based LIPA contractor , Incorporated, was working with LIPA’s environmental rep and other crew members to remove the oil from the lot surface and the dry well drain.

“The oil’s on top of the water now, so we’re skimming it, and then we’ll go back and get the rest out of it,” the rep said.

The crews aimed to get everything done by Sunday evening. However, noted the rep, LIPA’s worked on situations like this before for up to 24 hours.

Verizon arrived later Sunday afternoon with two poles, and both crews appeared to be working side by side to get the job done as the small portion of the Rite Aid lot remained closed.