A family will now have the gruesome task of identifying the charred remains of a man found burnt beyond recognition in a home in the Oakes Field area Thursday morning after police said the house he was in went up in flames.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident they said happened shortly after 1:00 a.m.

They said they received a report of a house fire at Warren Street off Farrington Road.

Officer-in-charge of Fire Services Superintendent Walter Evans said when firefighters arrived at the scene, they met a house engulfed in flames.

“They discovered that flames were issuing from a triplex building and it was at the rear apartment,” he said. “As officers were getting set to make entry with charged hose lines, they discovered that at the door the lifeless remains of what appeared to be a male was lying on his back.

“He’s an adult male from all indications at this stage. Officers immediately went into this facility which was fully engulfed in flame and they extinguished the fire.

Superintendent Evans said three crews with nine fire fighters responded and were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent two apartment units, but those units did not fully escape damage.

“However, those two apartments both received water and smoke damage,” he said. “At this stage we do not have the cause of this blaze and this incident is under active police investigations.

“We believe that the deceased, from all indications, he perhaps may be in his late 40’s to early 50’s.”

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Investigations are ongoing.