SAN ANTONIO -- Fire crews found an elderly man dead after flames engulfed his home on the 200 block of South San Ignacio on the west side.
The fire department got the call shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday night.
Neighbors told News 4 they smelled smoke and thought it was from a Labor Day holiday barbecue until they saw flames shooting up from the house.
When firefighters arrived, the home was "fully involved" in flames and neighbors warned them someone might be inside.
A next-door neighbor told News 4 several people escaped their homes as the fire grew, and many of them believe they heard the man beating on the door for help.
A fire official says when crews entered the home, they found the man's body near the front of the house - the area that sustained the most damage.
The fire department is not releasing the man's name at this time, but grieving family members were at the scene and have been notified.
Neighbors say the elderly man lived alone and commuted to a job out of town most days. Many had seen him just an hour before the fire started and were moved to tears when they learned the tragic news.
The fire department says arson and homicide detectives are investigating the cause of the fire.
Fire crews call the home a total loss. Other homes on the block also sustained damage.
