Thomas Walz dies after being pulled from blaze at his Nesconset home, police say

A man pulled from a burning two-story home in Nesconset was later pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Hospital, the Suffolk County police said.

First responders were able to get Thomas Walz, 62, out of the Highland Place home after a 911 call reporting the fire at 5:25 p.m. Monday, according to police.

He was transported to Stony Brook but police didn't provide additional details about his fatal injuries.

Next-door neighbor Thomas McClafferty, 66, said he was in his upstairs bedroom that overlooks the home. McClafferty said he smelled smoke and saw flames out his bedroom window and dialed 911.

"The flames were reaching over the roof," McClafferty recalled. "They were out the back windows ... His roof gable, it was billowing smoke. It was thick black smoke."

While on the phone with a dispatcher, McClafferty said he heard a "bang." He said the dispatcher also heard the noise and asked if that was an explosion, to which he replied "yes."

"When she heard the explosion, she said, ‘I’m going to call more than one township.’ " he added.

The fire started in an upstairs "family room" space and took firefighters approximately 15 minutes to extinguish its blaze, Nesconset Fire Department First Assistant Chief Chris Zarnitz said Monday evening. He said Walz was alive when he arrived at Stony Brook University Hospital via ambulance.

"We were actually at another call just prior to that," Zarnitz added, referring to a brush fire crews quelled about three blocks away. "We were actually on the scene within minutes, and they were able to get inside the building ... and extract the victim out of the house."

Zarnitz said the cause of the fire, as well as what caused the explosive sound neighbors heard, were being investigated by the Smithtown fire marshal.

Several dozen volunteers firefighters from multiple departments, including Nesconset, Lakeland and Ronkonkoma, responded.

McClafferty said he saw Walz brought out of the home by first responders on a stretcher.

At 7:15 p.m. Monday, Smithtown fire marshals and Suffolk police officers remained on the scene while neighbor Tony Benz, 44, watched. He described Walz as "a good neighbor" who was recently facing health issues.

"He’s a good guy, he’s always there to help," Benz said. "His mother had come to take care of him the last couple of months."

Suffolk police said the fire remains under investigation. Authorities added that it does not appear criminal at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call Suffolk homicide detectives at 631-852-6392 or arson detectives at 631-852-6024.