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The Town of Brookhaven demolished a burned-out “Zombie” house in Shirley on Jan. 15.
The house, located at 27 Cypress Lane, had been abandoned for years before it was destroyed in a fire on Dec. 18. No one was injured in the incident.
The town said in a release that the house had been home to squatters at various times, generating complaints from residents in the neighborhood.
The house was demolished in accordance with Chapter 73 of the town code that provides a “fast track” to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures. The cost of demolition and debris removal is the responsibility of the property owner, and the town places a lien on the property that is then placed on the tax bill. The county reimburses the town and then they collect the money from the property owner.
Town Supervisor Ed Romaine and Councilman Dan Panico attended the demolition.
“I commend Councilman Panico and our law department for acting swiftly to remove this dangerous eyesore from the neighborhood,” Romaine said. “We are determined to clean up neighborhoods across the town and I warn negligent property owners that we will not tolerate dilapidated and unsafe houses anywhere in the Town of Brookhaven.”
