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Albany Fire Department officials, Dougherty County Police and the Dougherty County coroner are in the early stages of an investigation after Marvin Collins, 75, was found dead in his home located at 1809 Antioch Road.

When officials arrived to the scene, they say the outside appearance of the home showed no signs fire, but once they got inside they found heavy damage in the front room and smoke throughout the house.

“We had a fire that had self extinguished and an individual had perished in the fire sometime last night,” says Sam Harris, Albany Fire Department Fire Investigator.

Emma Quimbley, Coroner for Dougherty County, says the fire had to have started between 8:30 p.m. and the following morning.

Collins’ body was discovered in the home by his son.

“When you find a loved one that is deceased, that is extra hard on the family to cope with that and now they are basically comforting themselves,” says Emma Quimbley.

She says the victim had a smoking habit that may have contributed to his death.

“We are looking at the fact that there appears to be possibly a smoldered cigarette that ignited,” says Quimbley.

A friend of the family says Collins lived alone but was close to his three children.

The Dougherty County coroner says she can't pinpoint the exact cause of death and there is a possibility that the body will have to be shipped off for further investigation.