Sources: Fatal Centre Island house fire appears to be suspicious

<p>Sources say a raging house fire that killed a person in Centre Island Tuesday evening appears to be suspicious.</p>

News 12 Staff

Nov 21, 2018, 5:01 PM

Updated 2,146 days ago

Share:

Sources: Fatal Centre Island house fire appears to be suspicious
Sources say a raging house fire that killed a person in Centre Island Tuesday evening was intentionally set.
The fire occurred at a home at 300 Centre Island Road around 10 p.m.
Police say when the fire was extinguished, a man was found dead near the front door. He's believed to be in his 70s and one of the owners of the multimillion-dollar home.
Nine departments responded to the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but the arson and homicide squads were at the scene investigating.
"The intensity of the fire is what's concerning to us. We don't know what's the source of that fire. It's not in the area of the house such as a kitchen that would be able to fuel the fire and make it that intense," says Nassau Police Detective. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick.
Back in 2004, News 12 reported on the property because the man who lived there, Bogart Seaman, got into a long-standing dispute with his neighbor Rupert Murdoch, as well as the village, when he hung toilet seats and other items from trees and said it was art.
According to property records, the house was sold to a new owner in 2010. Neighbors say Bogart Seaman has since passed away.
News 12 has been told the new homeowners are a family from Queens who use the house mostly in the summertime.