Elderly man dies in Union City house fire

UNION CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- An elderly man is dead after a fire raced through his home in Union City. It started late Tuesday afternoon on San Carlos Way near Dyer Street. The side of the home was scorched by the flames. A neighbor tried desperately to save him to no avail.

Crews left late Tuesday night after boarding up the house. Investigators say the fire started in the front right part of the house near the living room. They are also sure the cause of this fire is not suspicious.

The house on San Carlos Way went up in an instant. Huge plumes of black smoke exploded into the sky.

"You saw smoke coming, but the flames were pretty... pretty big," witness Ali Amin said.

People rushed to the single story house to help. They knew an elderly man lived here with his adult son, who was outside in the driveway when the fire started.

Kalaniray, a neighbor, is a retired firefighter. He said he could only make it halfway through a side window before he had to turn around. He said, "It was so black, it's so hard to see. All of our eyes were watering, everyone was over taken."

Kalaniray wanted to save the victim, but just couldn't. He told ABC7 News, "I know the guy. He's a really nice man. He's kind to everybody. It's a good family."

Firefighters also tried to reach the man, but they were too late.

"They went in through the front door and worked their way to the back, unable to locate him there, they came back and located him in another part of the house," said Alameda County Fire Batt. Chief James Watkins.

They found the victim near the living room, close to where the fire originally started. The cause is still under investigation.