DAYTON, Ohio -- A small Dayton house fire claims the life of a Dayton man after investigators said that a smoking accident may have started the fire.

Calls for help came into firefighters just before midnight.

The flames broke out in the 800 block of Clarkson Avenue which is located just off Hoover Avenue.

There's little visible fire damage to the home, and in fact, firefighters say only about $10,000 to $15,000 of damage in all.

However, the flames took the life of a resident who apparently never left one of the home's bedrooms.

Dayton firefighters say they did spot flames when they pulled up to this small, one-story home.

They went right to work and say within 20 minutes they had the fire under control, but when they entered the home, they discovered a body in a bedroom.

Firefighters say most of the fire's damage is focused on the bedroom where the man died.

They're not sure why he couldn't make it out of the home and they are also looking into reports that at least one neighbor attempted to get to him, but was driven back by the flames.

Officials said that the man lived in the home with his brother.

The man's brother said he escaped the fire safely, but thought his brother was right behind him.

Arson investigators have been on the scene overnight gathering evidence in this fatal fire.

The county coroner is expected to conduct an autopsy on Thursday to establish the victim's cause of death.