• F W Woolworth built Long Island mansion in 1916 after his previous home was burned down in mystery fire
• Blaze erupted in first-floor bedroom of 16-acre estate on Wednesday morning, owners were out
• 150 firefighters battled the flames which spread quickly, one was hospitalized with carbon monoxide exposure
By Associated Press
A mysterious fire has gutted the $90 million mansion built by five-and-dime creator F W Woolworth.
One of the East Coast's most elaborate estates, the marble-pillared abode was constructed in 1916 - after the family's first property was mysteriously burned down.
Ever since, it has been plagued by rumors of paranormal activity as people claim to hear the cries of Woolworth's daughter, who committed suicide in 1917, from the forever-locked Marie Antoinette room.
On Wednesday, flames ripped through the 16-acre Glen Cove estate, leaving the current owners with millions of dollars worth of damage.
The blaze erupted shortly before 11am in a first-floor bedroom, officials said.
Flames quickly spread through a wing of the 25,000-square-foot 1916 structure while the owners were out.
One firefighter was hospitalized suffering from carbon monoxide-related side effects after 150 officers from 10 different departments responded to the call.
The groundskeeper, a part-time firefighter, alerted the fire service after seeing smoke billowing from the house while plowing snow, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Newsday says the mansion has been owned by Martin Carey, the brother of former New York Governor Hugh Carey, since 1978.
His accountant, Leonard Fritzson, said the family was distraught.
The fire was not deemed suspicious. The cause is under investigation.
The home was designed by noted architect C P H Gilbert.
Woolworth's plans for the $9 million home were already drawn when his previous abode burned down.
He requested marble walls, marble pillars, two greenhouses, a tea house, and a $2 million staircase - all in Italian Renaissance style.
Over the years, it has been haunted by rumors of paranormal activity. The spirit of Woolworth's second daughter Edna is said to linger around the premises after she committed suicide on May 2, 1917.
It is claimed she took her own life at New York City's Plaza Hotel, though many believe the never-unlocked 'Marie Antoinette' room in the mansion was in fact the place of Edna's death, while her father was hosting a party.
Following the incident, a crack appeared in the marble family crest above the fireplace.
Noises have been heard, 'spirit sightings' have been reported, and visitors claimed they heard a woman crying in the Marie Antoinette room.