A man was found dead after a fire broke out just before midnight Wednesday at an abandoned house in Moriches.
Police say an individual called 911 to report a fire at 151 Montauk Highway around 11:50 p.m.
Fire crews responded to the scene and extinguished the flames. Authorities say it required the help of five additional departments to get the fire under control.
A man’s body was found inside the house after the flames were put out, according to police.
Police say the man’s identity and cause of death will be determined by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
Detectives say they currently believe the cause of the fire was not criminal in nature.
Firefighters returned to the scene later Thursday morning to extinguish hot spots coming from the roof, according to authorities.
Nearby residents told News 12 that the home was once occupied by a beloved farmer who ran the adjacent Farmhouse Farms with his family. They say the home has since sat unoccupied for nearly two decades.
"Christmas trees, fruits, vegetables. He'd grow his own stuff and everything,” said a resident.