Fire Breaks Out At Longtime Iconic Shelter Island Bar

SHELTER ISLAND, NY — A fire broke out at an iconic bar and restaurant on Shelter Island Monday, officials said.

A passing police officer first noticed flames shooting out of the side of the building, a firefighter told Patch.

According to Shelter Island Fire Chief Anthony Reiter, the first call came in at 6:13 p.m. about a working structure fire at The Dory, located on Bridge Street. The building was not occupied and the business wasn't open; no injuries were reported but two firefighters were sent for "rehab" after fighting the fire in the heavy smoke, he said.

Greenport Fire Department also responded and sent a dozen men and two chiefs to the scene, Reiter said.

The fire broke out in the kitchen above the walk-in freezer, Reiter said.

The building sustained "heavy damage" but was saved, Reiter said. The building, constructed of wood in 1925, is "very old. This could have been a lot worse. We could have lost a big portion of Bridge Street," Reiter — who also responded to a fire on Main Street in Sag Harbor that gutted the theater in 2016 — said.

Reiter thanked the firefighters who raced to the scene and saved The Dory and possibly, much more.

"When the community comes together, it makes all the difference," he said.