Cops: Body found in burning car
Investigators at scene where a body was found in a burning vehicle inside the parking lot of Short Beach in Nissequogue. (March 6, 2012) Credit: James Carbone
Homicide detectives are investigating the discovery of a body inside a burning car in Nissequogue Tuesday morning, Suffolk police said.
Nissequogue firefighters responded to a 911 call of a car burning in a parking lot at Short Beach Road and Boney Lane about 11:55 a.m., and discovered the body after extinguishing the blaze.
Nissequogue Fire Department Chief Steve Schmidt said, "It was fully engulfed when we arrived." Schmidt said eight firefighters with two fire trucks were able to extinguish the fire in about five minutes.
Firefighters were unaware that there was a body in the Nissan SUV until after the fire was extinguished, he said. "The person was clearly not alive at that point."
No other cars or property was threatened by fire, he said, because the car stood alone in a parking space at Smithtown's municipal lot at Short Beach.
No information was released by police about the identity, age or gender of the victim.
The Suffolk County medical examiner's office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death, police said, and the Arson Squad is assisting in the investigation.
Detectives asked that anyone with information about the case contact the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392, or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.
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