The scene of a fatal fire in Orleans Township, north of Ionia, on Saturday, March 14

IONIA COUNTY, MI -- A 911 call to Ionia County Central Dispatch holds some of the last words spoken by a 78-year-old Orleans Township man killed in a house fire early Saturday.

In the call around midnight, Charles Ring Jr. tells dispatchers his house is on fire in the 8400 block of Canfield Road.

An emergency dispatcher asks him if he can get out of the house and Ring said he could. He then hung up.

Shortly after, a neighbor can be heard placing another call to dispatch with information that the fire was quickly spreading.

"The entire front side of the house -- there are just flames pouring out of it," the neighbor said.

A dispatcher informed the man that the homeowner had already called and was going to exit the house, and then the neighbor's call ended.

When firefighters arrived at the house, they entered through the main door and found Ring dead, less than a foot from the door, Fire Chief Leslie Doty said.

The house was filled with smoke and burning with intense heat. It is not clear why Ring was unable to exit.

"It's one of those things we'll never really know," Doty said.

A Michigan state fire investigator was on scene but the fire's cause may remain undetermined, Doty said. However, it does not appear to be suspicious, he said.

The small, single-story home suffered heavy damage and is a total loss. The roof caved in and two exterior walls are partially collapsed, the chief said.

Fire crews remained on scene until about 4:30 a.m. Saturday looking for hot spots.