A 71-year-old man was found dead at the site of a house fire in Marshalltown early Sunday morning.

According to a press release issued by the Marshalltown Fire Department, the MFD, Marshalltown Police Department and UnityPoint EMS services responded to a call for service on the 800 block of North Center Street just after 5 a.m. Both MPD and MFD personnel observed fire and smoke emanating from the home, and neighbors reported hearing knocking and screams for help coming from inside the building.

The firefighting crew took out a window and began extinguishment from the exterior of the house, and when they eventually gained entry, they discovered the body of the deceased man.

The office of the Iowa State Fire Marshal is investigating the incident, and the results are pending. At press time, the identity of the deceased had not yet been released due to a pending autopsy report.

MFD Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Cross could not be immediately reached for further comment.