Selden house severely damaged in fire

Firefighters from seven departments battled a house fire in Selden early Monday, managing to bring the blaze under control in about an hour, Suffolk County fire officials said.

The house fire on Bank Street was reported in a 911 call at 12:45 a.m., and the family inside had escaped unharmed by the time firefighters arrived, said Selden fire chief Joseph Leavens.

"The only thing they lost was the cat," the chief said.

The blaze may have started in the rear of the house and the cause is being investigated, he said. "It appears to have started outside in the deck area and went up into the eaves and attic area," Leavens said.

Departments responding to the scene included Selden, Farmingville, Mount Sinai, Middle Island, Coram and Terryville.

The fire caused severe damage to the house, much of it smoke and water damage, Leavens said.

Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation by the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal's Office.

With John Valenti