INVERNESS, Fla. — Citrus County Fire Rescue and the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating a house fire that left a man dead Tuesday night.
Crews responded to the fire around 6 p.m. at a home on East Live Oak Lane, fire rescue said in a news release. After more units arrived, firefighters reported heavy smoke and conditions inside the 1,000-square-foot home with debris blocking pathways, which made moving through the home difficult.
Firefighters initially retreated from the home due to high heat and restricted access caused by the ceiling and a lack of air supply, fire rescue said.
A bonfire at a home next door to the burning structure was discovered as well, according to fire rescue. That fire was reportedly extinguished before crews continued working on the initial blaze.
The fire was under control by 6:15 p.m., according to fire rescue. But, during a secondary search minutes later, crews reportedly discovered the man's body in a side room.
Crews remained on scene for several more hours before operations were completed by 1:02 a.m. Wednesday, fire rescue said.
At this time, the State Fire Marshal's Office is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire, Citrus County officials said. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is also reportedly handling that investigation.
Crews said they are waiting for family members to identify the man found dead.
More information from Citrus County Fire Rescue can be found here.
