'57 Thunderbird destroyed in Melville fire

A fire yesterday afternoon in Melville "totally destroyed" a vacant house and damaged a vintage 1957 Ford Thunderbird parked in an attached garage, the hamlet's fire chief said.

It took dozens of firefighters from three fire departments about 20 minutes to bring the blaze on Raines Street under control, said Robert Warren, chief of the Melville Volunteer Fire Department.

No one was hurt. The homeowners were out of town, authorities said.

Fire officials believe the blaze started near the front door because of the "extensive damage" to the front of the house, Warren said. Officials are investigating how the fire started, he said.

The homeowners could not be reached for comment. The home is just north of Old Country Road.