Fire heavily damages Nissequogue home; occupants, dogs escape unhurt

A late-afternoon fire Wednesday heavily damaged a home in Nissequogue but the occupants and their two dogs were able to evacuate uninjured, authorities said.

The fire at the home on Smith Lane was reported in a 911 call at about 5:50 p.m. It took firefighters about 90 minutes to get the blaze under control, officials said. 

Firefighters from Nissequogue, Smithtown, St. James, Nesconset, Kings Park, Hauppauge and Centereach responded, as did a crew from Stony Brook University Ambulance, fire officials said

A preliminary finding indicates the cause of the blaze was "noncriminal," police said, but detectives and the Town of Smithtown fire marshal were conducting an investigation.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”