Details Emerge On Fire At Popular Wading River Pizzeria, Nearby Businesses Saved

WADING RIVER, NY — New details have emerged on a fire that broke out early Tuesday at a popular Wading River pizzeria.

According to Wading River Fire Department Chief Mark Donnelly, at about 2 a.m. the WRFD was alerted by Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services dispatch to a reported commercial structure fire Pazzo Ristorante and Wood Fired Pizza, located on Route 25A.

Rudy Sunderman, Commissioner of of Suffolk County FRES, told Patch Thursday that the fire remains under investigation by the local fire marshal and the Suffolk County Police Department arson squad.

Chief Donnelly arrived first and found an active fire in the business and a heavy smoke condition pushing from the attic/roof area — and some in the adjoining businesses, he said.

Chief Donnelly took command and transmitted that the blaze was a "working fire" to SFRES, which automatically triggered preplanned mutual aid from neighboring departments. 1st Assistant Chief Tom Whelan and 3rd Assistant Chief Denise Gluck and Wading River Fire District Medic 80 arrived shortly thereafter, he said.

Wading River Engine 13 and Ladder 4 arrived, and their crews worked together to stretch a handline to start attacking the fire, Chief Donnelly said.

While the crew was making an interior attack on the fire, mutual aid companies started to arrive and immediately "went to work" opening the rear of the building, venting the roof, stretching additional handlines and checking the adjoining businesses for fire extension, he said.

Crews were able to quickly knock down the fire and confine it to the pizzeria, which sustained fire damage to both its interior and exterior; neighboring businesses suffered smoke and water damage, Chief Donnelly said.

While the firefighting efforts were ongoing, WRFD Ambulance 16, WRFD Medic 80 and mutual aid EMS set up rehab and stood by at the scene in case of injury; additional fire crews stood by as Rapid Intervention Teams to assist any firefighters who may have become injured during the firefighting operations, Donnelly said.

Additional fire and EMS units stood by at WRFD Headquarters ready to handle any additional fire or EMS alarms that may have occurred within the Wading River Fire District; SCFRES coordinators also responded and assisted at the scene, he said.

The fire was brought under control, and the scene was turned over to the Riverhead Town Fire Marshal and the Suffolk County Police Department's arson squad for further investigation, he said.

"Our thoughts go out to the business owners and employees affected by the incident," Donnelly said. "Thank you to all our firefighters, EMTs and mutual-aid partners who worked through the night to help us in our time of need protecting life and property. Your quick response and hard work shows the strength and dedication of our fire and EMS service family."

At the scene as mutual aid were the Mastic Fire Department (RIT), Middle Island Fire Department (engine); the Manorville Fire Department (engine); Brookhaven National Laboratory (RIT); Ridge Fire Department (engine); Shirley Community Ambulance (rehab); Manorville Community Ambulance (ambulance); the Sound Beach Fire Department (engine); Rocky Point Fire Department (engine and truck); Miller Place Fire Department (truck); the Riverhead Fire Department (engine and truck); Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps (ambulance); Riverhead Town fire marshals; SCFRES coordinators, and the SCPD arson squad, he said.

The pizzeria was fully engulfed in flames after a fire broke out early Tuesday morning, police said.

Shocked residents and business owners gathered outside the ashes of the charred building Tuesday morning.

"It's gone," said Hank Isik, who owns Ravaa's Bagels next door; he was unsure of how much damage his own business sustained. "No one knows anything."

It was not the first tragedy the owners of Pazzo Ristorante have seen in recent months.

Owner Anthony Tranchina rushed to the restaurant Tuesday morning and told Patch that he had no idea of how much damage to expect.

His wife, he said, had just died a few months earlier.

According to a Facebook post by the business, Maria Tranchina died at 64 in August. "Over the past 9 years, Pazzo has been a great place to get food and pizza in Wading River. Sadly on Monday, August 11, our beloved owner Maria passed away. Pazzo was a dream come true for Maria. She put her heart into everything she did and was so passionate about her team and community. Our hearts are filled with sadness and she will be missed dearly by everyone who had the joy of working with her. Pazzo was more than just a business to her. It was community, it was friendships, and most importantly a whole lot of love. Through her entire adulthood she was passionate about food and feeding the ones she loved. Through Pazzo she was able to give back to her community and made so many friends along the way. She loved her customers like they were family."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500 x 312.