One person found dead in overnight house fire in Northampton

One person died in an overnight fire in a single-story home in Northampton, according to the Riverhead Fire Department.

Firefighters responded to the house at 14 Wildwood Trail at about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday and found the home fully engulfed.

“Flames were burning through the back of the house,” Riverhead Fire Chief Joe Hartmann said Tuesday morning. “And most of the house was fully engulfed.”

Firefighters were alerted as they arrived on scene that someone may be trapped inside, the chief said.

He added the firefighters in that situation try to get inside as best they can to search the home.

“I believe he was already succumbed before we even got on scene,” the chief said.

Southampton Town police arrived at the scene “within minutes and were unable to breech the door as the home was fully engulfed in flames,” according to a press release.

The identity of the victim has not yet been released. Police said the body was transported to the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office for confirmation of identity.

A preliminary investigation indicates the fire was non-criminal.

Members of the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to the scene as well as Riverhead firefighters and Southampton Town police. Mr. Hartmann said about 45 firefighters assisted at the scene and they remained at the home until about 3:45 a.m.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 631-702-2230.

The Suffolk County Police Arson Squad is investigating the cause of the fire along with the Southampton Town Fire Marshal. It’s the second home in the area to be destroyed by a fire in the past week. A vacant home on Flanders Road in Riverside was destroyed by fire late last Wednesday night. No injuries were reported in that fire.