A 69-year-old Pierson man and his two dogs died after a large structure fire destroyed a home on Shell Harbor Road on Sunday, authorities said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the property at about 8:30 a.m., responding to reports of a working fire at the residence. Crews arrived and worked to suppress the blaze; officials described the building as a large structure that was completely destroyed by the fire.

Once fire suppression operations concluded and crews were able to secure portions of the scene, responders discovered the resident’s body inside the burned structure and two deceased dogs on the property, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Neighbors and first responders were not reported injured in connection with the incident.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office provided initial information about the discovery and said a joint response with state investigators was underway. The Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations — the state agency that handles technical origin-and-cause work — has been called to examine the scene and is leading forensic and technical documentation.

Investigators cautioned that there is no immediate indication of suspicious circumstances at the site, and they had not released an official cause for the blaze. Officials said standard scene documentation and forensic procedures are being conducted as part of the inquiry to determine how the fire started and how it progressed.

The distraught discovery prompted follow-up work by both county and state personnel. The sheriff’s office indicated it will continue follow-up as the Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations completes its technical review and any additional evidence collection necessary to reach a determination on origin and cause.

Local news outlets, including the Daytona Beach News-Journal and WFTV, relayed details from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office about the discovery and the ongoing investigation. Officials did not release the identity of the deceased pending family notification and standard procedures.

Responding agencies described the house as a large structure that sustained severe, irreparable damage from the fire. Photographs and descriptions from the scene indicated the building was gutted by flames, and crews worked to ensure the area was safe before investigators conducted a methodical examination.

Authorities emphasized that investigators will continue their work until they can accurately establish the origin and cause of the fire. That work typically includes on-scene documentation, collection of physical evidence, interviews with any potential witnesses and laboratory analysis where applicable.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office provided updates as they became available and coordinated with the state bureau to manage the technical aspects of the investigation. Meanwhile, emergency personnel who first arrived on scene were not reported to have suffered injuries during firefighting or rescue operations.

For now, residents and officials are left awaiting the outcome of the forensic review. The loss of the home, the life of a longtime Pierson resident and two companion animals underlined the severity of the incident as investigators continue their work on Shell Harbor Road.

Original reporting on the incident appeared in local outlets, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is the primary source of information released to the public while the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson & Explosives Investigations conducts its technical examination.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.