Valley Stream house fire starts from barbecue, chief says

More than 150 firefighters responded to a Valley Stream blaze on Father’s Day that started at a backyard barbecue and spread to the house, a fire chief said.

A female homeowner was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, Valley Stream Fire Department Chief Jason Croak said.

Firefighters from Valley Stream, Elmont, Hewlett, Lynbrook, Malverne and Inwood were called to the two-alarm blaze on Shaw Avenue at 7:40 p.m., Croak said. They found fire outside in the backyard that was spreading into the house.

“The conditions in the house were a little tough,” he said, noting that more firefighters were called because of the day’s high temperatures. “We called for extra manpower, for extra hands to make sure people weren’t overworked.”

The fire is believed to be accidental and to have started with the barbecue on a patio that had a propane tank. It remains under investigation.

“Something happened with the tank,” Croak said.

The home will likely need to be demolished because of heat, water and smoke damage throughout the structure, he said. Firefighters largely kept the fire damage to the rear of the home.