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East Garden City Avalon Bay Condo Fire

Avalon Bay Fire in Garden City
Fire at Avalon Bay in Garden City (Photo credit: Paul Prince)
Avalon Bay Fire in Garden City
Fire at Avalon Bay in Garden City (Photo credit: Paul Prince)

An apartment building in a condominium complex under construction in East Garden City caught fire Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Police and firefighters responded to a report of a fire at Avalon Garden City apartment community off of Stewart Avenue shortly after 11 a.m., according to a Nassau County police spokeswoman.

Photo Gallery: Avalon Bay Fire

The fire was contained to one building and brought under control before 1 p.m., officials said.

“If these fires get away from you, it can be devastating,” said Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.

The complex is unoccupied since it is still under construction.

Firefighters from the Garden City, Uniondale, East Meadow, Hempstead, North Bellmore and Westbury fire department extinguished the blaze.

The workers at Avalon Bay, the developer building this and has built similar communities across Long Island, were hanging sheet rock in one of the structures when the fire broke out, but all escaped unharmed.

Arson Squad detectives and the Fire Marshals office are investigating the cause of the fire.

“We’re accessing the damage for that particular building, but the project goes on, there’s no doubt about that,” an Avalon Bay spokesman told the Press.

Stewart Avenue was temporarily closed in both directions from Selfridge Road to Merrick Avenue along with a nearby southbound entrance to Meadowbrook Parkway. Merchants Concourse southbound was also closed between Stewart Avenue and Corporate Drive.

The complex is on the northern border of Nassau Community College. A college spokeswoman said there was no danger to the campus.