Man found dead in burning home after explosion

A man was found dead after an explosion and flames at a Long Island home on Wednesday afternoon.

Neighbors of the Minerva Lane house in Centereach called 911 after hearing that explosion and seeing the flames at the residence around 2:40 p.m., according to the Suffolk County Police Department. The Centereach Fire Department later pulled 50-year-old Timothy Oskey from the house after finding him unresponsive, lying on the floor in the basement.

Police said Oskey was pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Firefighters put out the blaze with help from the Ronkonkoma, Farmingville and Selden departments, police said, and detectives from the SCPD’s homicide and arson squads are investigating the incident, but do not believe Oskey’s death was criminal in nature.