The first call came in just after 4 a.m. The caller reported a smoke alarm going off and smoke coming from a second-floor apartment at the Driftwood Manor apartment complex on Blossom Hill Road just west of Almaden Expressway.
Firefighters went in and put out the fire and in their search found the man. They pulled him out and started CPR. Firefighters worked on him for 20 minutes but he died at the scene.
"Our guys got in there really quickly and did their best and rescue is our number one priority and it's disappointing to us and sad for everybody involved when things work out this way," said San Jose Fire Captain Brad Cloutier.
Cloutier says about 15 people are displaced and won't be able to get back into their homes until the damage is fixed and utilities turned back on.
Red Cross has been called to help out.