Official: Man’s body found in fire-damaged apartment of Commack home

Firefighters found a man’s badly burned body inside an upstairs apartment of a Commack home Tuesday night after putting out a fire that had sent flames shooting out the unit’s windows, a fire official said.

Suffolk County Police arrived at 6:44 p.m. to the home on Spinner Lane  and were told by a woman at the scene that someone was trapped inside the burning apartment, said Commack Fire Chief John Barry.

Firefighters could see the flames burning through windows on both sides. They eventually put the fire out and found the body of a 42-year-old man amid what Barry described as hoarder-like conditions. The man suffered severe burns and was pronounced dead at the scene, Barry said.

The man’s identity was not immediately available.

A police officer and two other people were transported to hospitals following the fire but it was not immediately clear whether the home and apartment were otherwise occupied.

The police officer was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.  

A woman was taken to St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown for treatment and a man was transported to Huntington Hospital.

Police did not immediately release information on their conditions.

The fire is being investigated by the Suffolk Police arson and homicide squads.