House fire on Smith Street brought under control

At about 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, the Shelter Island Police Department, Shelter Island Fire Department, and Shelter Island Town EMS were dispatched to an active fire at a residence on Smith Street.

According to Shelter Island Police Department Det. Sgt. Jack Thilberg, when first responders arrived, there were two  occupants of the house outside as fire was burning on the east side of the house. They told police and fire personnel that they had been alerted to the fire by a neighbor who had come to assist them, according to police reports.

The Fire Department brought the blaze under control, preventing an exterior fire from entering the residence.

Extensive damage, according to police, was reported on the east side of the house and rear deck from the fire, “and extensive water damage from the suppression operation.  Shelter Island EMS was on the scene and no injuries were reported during this incident.”

After an investigation the Police Department determined “the cause of the fire to be from a partially extinguished smoking material (lit cigarette), and the point of origin was on the cedar deck near the side entrance of the residence, where the partially extinguished smoking material had landed.”

It has since been classified as an accidental fire.