A dispute between two fire departments in South Blooming Grove is heating up again after the area’s long-time, primary fire department says members of a newer, village-created department physically blocked them from responding to an emergency Tuesday night.

Radio communications obtained by News 12 capture South Blooming Grove Fire Department reporting the incident shortly after 11 p.m. at Island Supermarket, which is under construction at 700 Route 208.

In the transmission, South Blooming Grove FD reports the Village of South Blooming Grove Fire Department — known as Department 60 — responded with lights and sirens and was already at the scene of an automatic fire alarm when they arrived. South Blooming Grove FD reported Department 60 was “combative on scene” and “verbally harassing and physically blocking our entry.”

“We are unable to gain entry. Therefore, we are unable to provide fire protection services,” a member of South Blooming Grove FD says over the radio.

The transmission also references 36-1 and 36-15 declining to respond because of what was described over the radio as “unauthorized mutual aid in progress” and a “breach of the mutual aid plan.”

Orange County Fire Commissioner Vini Tankasali tells News 12 the county does not recognize Department 60 as having primary jurisdiction and has repeatedly communicated that to the department. He says Department 60 is only qualified for exterior firefighting and does not have the interior qualifications needed to enter a building during a fire.

Tankasali also says Orange County 911 never received notification of an automatic fire alarm at Island Supermarket Tuesday night. He says alarm companies typically notify 911, although that can depend on what number or agency the alarm system is programmed to contact.

Tankasali says any allegations that one department obstructed another from providing fire protection services would be a police matter and referred News 12 to Blooming Grove Police.

Blooming Grove Police say they are aware of the incident but do not consider it criminal in nature. Police say it is part of an ongoing dispute and is something attorneys for the two departments will need to continue working to resolve.

The alarm appears to have been a false alarm. News 12 observed no visible fire damage at the supermarket Wednesday and a staff member said they were unaware of an automatic alarm the night before.

The latest incident comes months after News 12 first reported on concerns surrounding Department 60 when it alerted residents to contact them directly instead of 911 in the event of an emergency. Village officials have said the new department was created because of South Blooming Grove’s rapid growth and increased demand for emergency services, which they say has put pressure on the existing volunteer force.

News 12 has reached out to the Village of South Blooming Grove and both fire departments for their accounts of Tuesday night’s incident, as well as the Firefighters Association of the State of New York for an independent perspective on the emergency response and mutual-aid issues involved.