A fire that engulfed a Mesa home Wednesday evening has left one man dead, authorities confirmed. As flames tore through the residence near Gilbert Road and 8th Avenue, Mesa Fire and Medical Department battled to quickly contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighboring buildings. The fire was reported to have started around 5:30 p.m.

In a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, officials shared that "The occupant is currently unaccounted for and the investigators and PD have taken over the scene," after the firefighters executed their operation to hastily keep the fire under control. Later, police discovered a body inside the charred remains of the home, putting a grim end to the search for the unaccounted resident.

AZ Family reported that the emergency response escalated to a first alarm as the fire's intensity demanded a larger force, prompting dozens of firefighters, engines, and ladder trucks to the scene. Footage from a news chopper highlighted the scale of the firefighting effort, as crews worked from ladder trucks to extinguish the blaze that was ultimately contained to just the one home.

After the flames were subdued, police indicated that the search efforts culminated in the discovery of a deceased adult male within the burnt structure. "Crews began searching and found a body inside the house, which appeared to be an adult man," as per AZ Family. The identity of the man and the investigation into the cause of his death are now under the purview of the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office.