HOUSTON –
A home has been gutted and a death investigation is now underway.
Neighbors said they saw the smoke and flames late Thursday night.
Willy Fay Allen, a neighbor, explained, "When I was coming home from the hospital I seen fire, in the back part it was still coming up through the roof."
According to arson investigators, the fire started around 11 p.m. and firefighters were on scene within minutes.
Once they arrived, putting out the fire proved to be a battle.
Jay Evans, with HFD said, "The doors were blocked. The individual has dressers and boxes, things stacked up against the door. So they had some difficulty trying to get in."
After the flames were finally out, firefighters found the body of a man inside.
RAW VIDEO: Firefighters fight house fire in north Houston
Authorities identified the victim as Garland LeBlount Webb, 59.
Neighbors say they would often see lots of people going and coming from the home.
"It's just not the same no more. I knew what they did. Everyone in the neighborhood knew what they did," said Allen.
While neighbors suspect illegal activity was taking place, they still regret how things turned out just doors down from their own home.
"Just a bad way for it to get closed down -- to catch on fire and for someone to lose their life. I wish they could've just torn the house down," Allen said.