Medford house destroyed by fire, officials say

A late-night fire destroyed a house in Medford on Tuesday, but officials said they believe the house was abandoned.

The house fire, near the intersection of California Avenue and Express Drive South, was reported in a 911 call at 11:28 p.m., Suffolk County police said.

Firefighters from Medford, Holtsville, North Patchogue and Farmingville responded to the scene, along with a crew from Medford Volunteer Ambulance, to find “the back right side” of the house engulfed in flames, police said. An incident report indicated that the house was boarded up and “possibly abandoned,” and that the house was destroyed.

There were no reported injuries, officials said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Suffolk police Arson Squad and the Brookhaven Town fire marshal.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”