SOUTH BEND -- A fire Saturday night in the 1700 block of West Prairie Avenue, north of Rum Village Park, kept crews at a distance because small explosions, initially believed to be fireworks, kept exploding inside the home.

"We couldn't enter right away because the fireworks were shooting out the back door," said South Bend Fire Chief Howard Buchanon. "Rockets and Roman candles were shooting out."

But when crews did get inside, they found the body of the resident.

"He was lying on the floor," Buchanon said. "He wasn't too far from getting out."

Authorities did not identify the victim, but longtime neighbor Kathy Baugher said the man, believed to be in his late 40s, enjoyed fireworks throughout the year.

"I saw flashing lights go by and I saw a bunch of smoke and I thought, 'Oh my God, I hope it's not (him),'" Baugher told a Tribune reporter.

The fire was reported just before 10:25 p.m. at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Webster Street, dispatchers for South Bend said.

Passers-by and police officers reported smoke coming from the roof. But when firefighters arrived, they heard popping from inside the house.

Crews had to fight the blaze from outside the building because of the risk to their safety, dispatchers said.

Firefighters and other emergency crews remained on the scene late Saturday.

Prairie Avenue remained closed in the area south of Indiana Avenue.

For further updates, check back with SBT24/7News and WSBT.com.