Authorities say a fire burned down a Long Island cat shelter, killing its founder, who lived there, and more than 100 of the felines he rescued.

In the quiet hamlet of Medford, Long Island, a catastrophe sent shockwaves through the animal welfare community as Happy Cat Sanctuary, a refuge for hundreds of stray and abandoned felines, was reduced to smouldering ruins when a fire tore through its walls.

There were hundreds of cats inside at the time of the fire and officials say the owner went back into the home to rescue the animals.