2 people found dead in Hempstead fire at house that was supposed to be vacant after previous blaze

Two people were found dead in a fire at a house on Long Island after the property was supposed to be vacant due to a previous blaze, officials said. 

The fatal fire erupted just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the boarded-up house on Sycamore Avenue in Hempstead, according to Nassau County fire officials.

Fire Marshall Michael Uttaro said 75 firefighters arrived on the scene and the fire was under control in about two hours. Two bodies were discovered inside the house during the fire operations, he said.

The house was severely damaged in the fire, which caused part of the structure to collapse, Uttaro said.

The home next door also lost power. 

It was not immediately clear what parts of the house were already damaged from the last fire, but several windows had been boarded up, indicating it should have been vacant. 

A neighbor told CBS News New York he has seen people squatting at the house before, but officials have not said how the victims got inside or why they were there. 

Nassau County fire investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire. The police department's arson squad and bomb detectives were assisting in the investigation, Uttaro said. 

The Village of Hempstead Building Department was evaluating the damage to the property, the fire marshal said. 

He said no one else was hurt, including any firefighters.