Resident Escapes Shelter Island House Fire That 'Consumed' Home

SHELTER ISLAND, NY — A resident was able to escape a Shelter Island house fire that officials say consumed the home.

According to Shelter Island Police, a call came in Monday at 3:33 p.m. about a "fully involved working structure fire" at an occupied home on North Midway Road.

Shelter Island fire, police and EMT units were dispatched to the residence, where the single occupant had escaped with minor injuries, minor singing to his hair, and smoke inhalation; he declined medical transport to a hospital, police said.

The homeowner said he had been working in the basement with a propane-fueled hand torch to repair a plumbing issue when a fire broke out in his workspace, police said. He was unable to extinguish the fire before it rapidly spread throughout the basement and continued throughout the entire home, police said.

The Shelter Island Police Department investigated the blaze and deemed the fire to be accidental and non-criminal, police said.