A man has died after a fire ripped through a home early Sunday in Prince George's County, Maryland, officials say.
The fire began at 3300 Stonehall Drive in Calverton at about 4 a.m., Prince George’s County Fire and EMS said. The fire was at a split-level single-family home.
A man, identified by his brother as Peter Obutu, died at the scene, officials said.
A photo tweeted by Prince George’s County Fire shows the flames emerging from the top of the house. The fire later collapsed the roof.
A neighbor said they heard two explosions while the strong fire was burning through the home.
Bayo Okujobi said the victim was his brother, a "good guy [who] didn’t have problems with nobody, got along with everybody, didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, [and] worked two jobs."
The death compounds the family's grief.
"Our grandfather passed away. My parents and other family members flew to Africa to go bury his body. My brother was here watching the house by himself," Okujobi said.
Family and friends could be seen gathering at the scene as word of the loss spread.
Following the fire, firefighters visited residents in the neighborhood to discuss home fire safety, escape plans and smoke detectors.
Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.
