CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — A Christmas Eve house fire apparently started by burning cigarettes in Citrus Heights left one man dead in Citrus Heights, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Sacramento Metro firefighters were sent to the home in the 6900 block of Brookhaven Way just before midnight. They found the body inside the house as they were combating the flames, according to the fire department.
"It snuck up on us," said one of the man's neighbors, who identified himself as Mark. "I was inside the house watching TV, didn't hear a thing. And next thing you know, I get a text from our next door neighbor saying the house is on fire and the person inside may have not survived."
An arson investigator said the fire began in the same room where the victim was found. The fire was accidental and caused by "smoldering cigarettes" in the same room where the victim was found, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
The investigators also discovered that the three smoke alarms in the home were "not operable."
One of the victim's neighbors, Sandy Inman, told ABC10 that he was a nice man who often kept to himself.
"It's just sad. He was a good man. He was a good decent human being," Inman said. "It just hit hard. It just makes me sad that he was all alone. He passed on Christmas. It's kind of rough all the way around."
The identity of the person will be released once their next of kin is notified, according to Sacramento Metro Fire.
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