A 51-year-old man died in a house fire early Sunday in Hoxie, authorities said.
Jerry Grissom, 51, of Hoxie was inside the home as flames engulfed it, but it's unclear how he died, Lawrence County Deputy Coroner Doug Sosbe said Sunday evening.
The home, at 803 SW Lawrence St. in Hoxie, caught fire about 1:45 a.m. Sunday, according to the Lawrence County sheriff's office. The fire was widespread when first responders arrived.
Sosbe said it was too early to rule out foul play, citing the need for an autopsy report from the state Crime Laboratory. The victim, however, may have simply been trying to put out a fire in his home, Sosbe added.
"According to witnesses, he was putting the fire out with buckets of water and never made it out," the deputy coroner said.
No one else was injured in the blaze, Sosbe said.
The Arkansas State Police will investigate the fire. No cause was released as of Sunday evening.
Several law enforcement agencies and fire departments responded to the fire.
The town of about 2,700 people is 22 miles northwest of Jonesboro.
Metro on 01/04/2016