Alcohol-fueled dare ends with fatal fire

An intoxicated Long Island man died after he lit a rug on fire and challenged his roommate to see who could stay in the house on Fire Island longer, Suffolk County, N.Y., police say.

Police said Thomas Woods, 59, ignited the rug in his house sometime before 8 p.m. Saturday. As the fire spread, Woods fired one or two rounds from a pre-World War I Mauser pistol, said detective Sgt. Ed Fandrey of the Suffolk County homicide squad. Police do not know why he fired the gun.

When the fire began spreading dangerously, Woods’ roommate, Rod Bennett, ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911.

Bennett’s story of what happened "is so incredible," Fandrey said, that it’s probably "credible."

Fandrey said there were no indications of foul play, and that no arrests were made. "I don’t expect we’re going to be locking anybody up," he said. "It looks like it’s a tragedy."

Fandrey said the two men were drinking heavily Saturday night when Woods issued his dare: "Let’s see which one of us leaves first."

Authorities found Woods’ body near the house’s entrance, on top of a pile of plastic that had melted off the windows during the fire.

"It looks like he tried to get out and couldn’t," Fandrey said.

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