Man Found Dead Inside Burning House in Binghamton

Binghamton firefighters discovered the body of a man inside a burning two-family home.

The blaze at 2 Pleasant Street on the city's North Side was reported around 8:15 a.m. Monday.

The first firefighters on the scene forced entry through the front door of the boarded-up building. They found an active fire on the first floor extending to the second floor of the wood-frame house.

There had been a report that squatters had been inside the building which was supposed to be vacant.

Firefighters discovered the man's body in the front area of the first floor about 35 minutes after they arrived.

Authorities said one person who apparently had been staying in the building was evaluated for smoke inhalation but was not taken to a hospital.

Binghamton police detective Captain Cory Minor on Monday afternoon said investigators had not yet been able to notify the dead man's relatives.

The cause of the fire was under investigation but Minor said there did not to be any criminal involvement in the incident.

The effort to control the blaze was affected by "extreme hoarding conditions" inside the house. The place was filled with "a lot of junk" including old furniture and clothing.

Firefighters were on the scene for just over four hours. No injuries to firefighters were reported.

The cause of the fire was not immediately announced. Utilities to the house had been shut off.

Property records indicate the owners of the house have a Florida address.

VIDEO: Firefighters on the scene of a blaze at 2 Pleasant Street on January 15, 2024.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.