The structure fire on Fire Island that consumed a bayfront house and seriously damaged another on Friday afternoon, April 24, caught regional attention, with black smoke visible for miles along and across the bay, and news station helicopters circling above Ocean Beach long after the smoke had cleared.
It is believed that the original combustion point broke out in a storage shed on the property of 165 Bay Walk, which sits on the western residential portion of Ocean Beach, crossing at Wilmot Road. The rapidly moving blaze led to the collapse of the main house at 165 Bay Walk, necessitating that the Ocean Beach Fire Department request mutual aid from the neighboring fire departments of Fair Harbor, Ocean Beach Park, and Point o’Woods. Mainland departments also responded, coming to the scene with fire boats, drawing water from the Great South Bay to contain the smoky inferno, including Bay Shore and East Islip fire departments, as well as support from the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), with the Marine Bureau dispatching vessels Marine Alpha, Juliette, Marine 1, and Marine 3 utilizing their on-board fire apparatus to douse the flames. Meanwhile, SCPD Aviation Section officers responded and alerted the officers and firefighters to potential hot spots to also stop the spread.
While no injuries were reported, several responders on the scene received treatment for smoke inhalation.
In addition to 165 Bay Walk, which has been classified as a total loss, the neighboring property to the west, 167 Bay Walk, sustained substantial damage. To the east, the headquarters of the Ocean Beach Youth Group, a summer day camp that serves the village and neighboring communities. Multiple nearby witnesses stated that the swift northwest wind, which drove the fire towards the waterfront, prevented more extensive damage.
Zillow real estate records report that 165 Bay Walk was on the market, with the listing being held by Netter Beach Estates. The asking price listed was just under $3 million. The single-family residence had been built in 1935. The 1,500-square-foot structure sat on a 5,663-square-foot lot overlooking the Great South Bay, and the property was reinforced with a 50-foot bulkhead. However, all of that is gone now.
