1 found dead in abandoned house fire in Columbia

One man died inside an abandoned house that caught fire overnight just north of downtown Columbia, officials say.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire at an old, abandoned home at the dead end of Carver Street that happened around 2:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Columbia Fire Department spokesman Brick Lewis.

The house appeared to have been vacant for a while, Lewis said.

One man was found dead inside the house once the fire had been put out, according to Richland County Coroner Gary Watts. The man has not yet been been identified.

Lewis said criminal activity was not suspected, but the fire is still under investigation by the Columbia fire and police departments.

This story was originally published December 10, 2016 at 10:10 AM with the headline "1 found dead in abandoned house fire in Columbia."