Hundreds of cats remain unaccounted for in the deadly fire at Happy Cat Sanctuary on Long Island​. The sanctuary's founder Chris Arsenault was killed in the blaze.

A fire broke out at Happy Cat Sanctuary, which houses hundreds of cats, on Long Island, leaving the founder of the nonprofit dead.

Lisa Jaeger, heading recovery efforts for the surviving cats, said Chris Arsenault died trying to save the animals at his Long Island home.

One person was killed in a fire in Medford Monday morning, according to Suffolk County officials. The fire broke out just after 7 a.m. at a residence on Dourland Road near Clifford Lane, killing one person,

A fire burned down a Long Island cat shelter, killing its founder, who lived there, and at least 59 of the felines he rescued, authorities said. The fire at the Happy Cat Sanctuary in the hamlet of Medford was reported shortly after 7 a.

There were 300 cats inside at the time of the fire and officials say the owner went back into the home to rescue the animals.

The fire at the Happy Cat Sanctuary in the hamlet of Medford was reported shortly after 7 a.m. Monday. The cause is under investigation. The body of founder Christopher Arsenault, 65, was found in a back room,

Suffolk County police share an update on a deadly fire at a home that also housed hundreds of cats. Advertisement

Christopher Arsenault, 65, founder of the Happy Cat Sanctuary, died in a fire at his Medford home early Monday that also claimed the lives of "numerous" cats, Suffolk County police said. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.