The fire broke out around 1am on East 2nd near Wichmann. A neighbor says he tried to rescue the man, but firefighters say when they arrived on scene, the flames were too intense.
Neighbors tell us the victim lived in the neighborhood for years, but bounced around after his wife died and had been staying in this small building for several months.
Firefighters say there were no utilities in the building, but it wass still clearly where the man was sleeping.
"Whenever the fire crews made entry, they found one fire victim, deceased middle aged male," said Deputy Chief Jerry Wedgeworth with the Houston Fire Department. "The cause of the fire is under investigation."
The victim hasn't been identified. There is no word yet on what caused the fire.
