Man rescued from house fire in SE Houston dies, HFD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 78-year-old man has died after he was rescued from a house fire overnight, according to the Houston Fire Department.

Firefighters responded to a house fire call at about 10:49 p.m. Monday on Flamingo Drive near MLK Boulevard in southeast Houston.

HFD said all of the residents except the man managed to get themselves out before crews arrived, adding that the danger of the situation grew with the fire.

"The gentleman that was inside was not able to get out of it due to the smoke inhalation and smoke damage. He was shielding himself inside a bedroom. The heavy fire and smoke conditions were billowing out of the front of the house, all the windows, and the front door. All the fire gases, at one point, did light up on fire while we were attacking it. The rear of the house on the right side had heavy flames coming out on our arrivals," District Chief Jason Wells said.

Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire. One theory points to a space heater, but Wells would not confirm if that was to blame.

Officials said the 78-year-old man was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The man's cause of death is under investigation, as is the reason behind the fire.