JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was found dead Friday morning inside a home that caught fire near New Berlin Road on Jacksonville's Northside, according to police.
Firefighters and the Jacksonville police were called to Tinya Court about 9 a.m. Friday. The residential area is off New Berlin Road east of Yellow Bluff Road.
After the fire was put out, a man was found dead in a back bedroom of the home, police said. Neighbors said the man had lived at the home for 17 years with his wife. Police said she was not home at the time of the fire.
Police said the fire was contained to the bedroom area, but the rest of the home sustained damage, as well.
"At first we thought it was just a fire, because we just saw fire and rescue, and then a few minutes later we came out and saw police and they had it taped off, and we knew something was up," neighbor Rennie Knopf said.
Knopf said it's a quiet neighborhood.
"You don’t come in the street unless you live on the street," Knopf said.
The man's name and age have not been released, but his family appeared to be at the scene Friday afternoon.
"I feel real sad for the family," Knopf said. "Right after Thanksgiving (for) something like this to happen? Anyone got any family, this would be a bad time."
The Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, and Jacksonville homicide detectives are investigating the cause of death.