Christmas Eve fire did not deter Santa

Shelter Island firefighters cleared the way for Santa to make a visit to the Kramer-Metraux home off North Ferry Road.

At midnight on Christmas Eve, the family awoke to the sound of a smoke detector alarm — the chimney flue had caught fire. The family hurried outside to the sight of sparks flying out of the chimney.

Fire Department chiefs were there within minutes, followed by a full contingent of trucks and volunteer firefighters. “They were fabulous,” Mr. Kramer-Metraux said last week.

Firefighters also extinguished a brush fire, a second chimney fire and an open burn over the past two weeks.