A 79-year-old man was found dead inside his home that caught fire in Niles Township.

Fire crews were called around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to the 3100 block of S. Third Street after smoke was spotted coming from the eves of the home by a road department employee who was in the area.

The road worker knocked on the door several times while the fire department was responding, but was not able to get in through the locked door.

When fire crews arrived, they got in and found the man, dead, in the living room.

The fire was extinguished quickly and the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit was called in to investigate the fire.

The investigation is ongoing, but the cause of the fire is undetermined as of this morning.