The fire broke at around 10 p.m. in the two-story home on 114th Street in Richmond Hill.
After the blaze was extinguished, a man was found dead on the second floor.
The unidentified victim could have been a squatter, authorities say.
The fire was under control in about an hour.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
A medical examiner will determine the man's cause of death.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)