Ronkonkoma home destroyed in fire

A home in Ronkonkoma was destroyed in a fire Thursday night, officials said.

Firefighters from the Lakeland Fire Department needed about 45 minutes to put out the blaze. There were no injuries. The home was a bungalow on West Drive.

Lakeland Fire Chief Michael Barber said three engines, a tower ladder, a heavy rescue truck and three ambulances from his department responded to a call at 9:37 p.m.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, the homeowner, a woman, told them she had been the only one in the house when the fire started.

"It was an older home, so when we got there it was fully involved," Barber said. Flames were shooting out the windows, and the porch and roof eventually collapsed, he said.

In addition to Lakeland, other departments responding included Ronkonkoma, Sayville and Bohemia, he said.

Barber said he didn't know how the fire started, but that the homeowner believed it began at the front of the house. A spokesman for the Suffolk County Police Department said the cause was undetermined and the arson squad was investigating.