Death of man found in burning house called suspicious

Rocky Mount, N.C. — Rocky Mount police opened a suspicious-death investigation after a man's body was found in the back of a burning house Sunday night.

Callers told 911 dispatchers that a man was trapped inside a burning home at 1320 Proctor St. at 9:10 p.m., police said. Firefighters found heavy flames coming from the front of the one-story home when they arrived.

They entered the residence to search for the victim and found him in the rear of the building, police said. The man, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Firefighters aggressively attacked the fire and had it out by 9:45 p.m.

Police called the fire suspicious, as well as the death. Fire investigators and evidence technicians examined the scene.

Police have not commented on the cause of death.