Man battling cancer dies in house fire

A man with stage 4 colon cancer is dead after a house fire in southwest Atlanta early Thursday.

Shortly after midnight, Atlanta firefighters noticed heavy smoke coming from a home in the 4000 block of Kimball Road, according to Channel 2 Action News.

“That smoke quickly turned to a large fire that looked like it started on the lower level of the home,” Atlanta fire Sgt. Cortez Stafford told the television station.

American Red Cross volunteer Jim Tudor stands in front of the scene of a deadly house fire on Kimball Road. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

The man was confined to a bed in that portion of the house, according to Channel 2. Atlanta firefighters were not able to save him.

Five other family members inside the home escaped unharmed.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze.