A 63-year-old Kentucky man is dead after an early morning fire in Frankfort early Thursday morning.

The Frankfort Fire Department received a call from a Fairview Heights neighbor at 2:20 a.m. Thursday morning and found “heavy fire conditions” at 706 Bradley St., which is located off Schenkel Lane in East Frankfort.

The Franklin County Coroners Office has identified the victim as 63-year-old Anthony Graham, of Frankfort. Graham was the owner of the house, according to Franklin County Property Valuation Administrator records.

“From a post mortem examination at the scene it appears Mr. Graham were victim of fatal smoke inhalation due to the structure fire,” Coroner Will Harrod said.

Graham was pronounced dead at 4:08 a.m. Thursday.

An autopsy was performed and final results will be available in 12 to 14 weeks.

Significant damage was done to a house at 706 Bradley St. by an early morning fire Thursday. One neighbor was woken up by the flashing lights of the fire trucks, but when he came to see it for himself, he said, “I didn’t imagine this.” (Harrison Wagner | State Journal)

According to Frankfort Fire Chief Wayne Briscoe, the investigation into the cause of the fire is still in the early phases. FFD is partnering with other agencies to utilize more resources and conduct a thorough investigation.

John Ritchie, who lives about a block away on Fairview Avenue, came out to see the house after hearing about the fire on the news. He said he had woken up to flashing lights, but did not know where they were going.

“I thought somebody’s house was on fire over there,” he said, pointing towards the dead end on Bradley Street, “because I saw the fire truck’s red lights flashing.”

Ritchie said he saw the fire crew wrestling with a fire hydrant on his street before looking for the fire trucks. He said he could not figure out where the fire was.

“I looked out my back window and I saw a fire truck sitting over here and that one sitting up there on Maple (Avenue) and I said, ‘Well what’re they doin’, having a rehearsal or something?’ I didn’t even know about a fire.”

When he came to investigate the commotion he saw early Thursday morning, he was not prepared for the sight of the charred and gutted single-story home.

“I walked out of the house just now, I heard about it on the television. I walked down and looked that way (east on Bradley Street, away from the house). I didn’t imagine this,” he said.

The vinyl siding to the left of the burned house had melted and was warped and hanging from the exposed wood siding. The water used to douse the fire had already started to freeze from the caved-in roof.

Briscoe said the ensuing investigation would be challenging and it could be a while until the fire’s cause is determined.

The investigation is ongoing by fire investigators, Frankfort Police Department and the coroners office.