MURFREESBORO – An early morning residential fire here Sunday ended in tragedy.

John S. Green Jr., age 33, was found deceased inside a home he was renting at 501 North Wynn Street.

Murfreesboro Police Chief Darryl Rowe said the blaze is believed to be accidental in nature, according to initial findings made by a pair of SBI arson investigators that were summoned to the scene on Sunday.

“The investigation is not closed as we’re waiting on the Medical Examiner’s report,” said Rowe. “However, there is nothing to indicate at this particular point that the cause of this fire was anything more than an accident.”

Rowe said the blaze was reported at 2:08 a.m. Sunday.

“Two of my officers – Sgt. David Griffith and Lt. Joe Burgess – arrived three minutes after the call came in,” Rowe stated. “Upon their arrival, flames were showing at the residence and parts of the residence were fully engulfed.

“Both officers attempted to make entry into the residence, but could not due to the intense smoke and flames,” Rowe added.

Meanwhile, the Murfreesboro Fire Department was en route to the single story, stick-built residence. Rowe said the Murfreesboro firemen requested and received mutual aid assistance from both the Conway and Winton volunteer fire departments.

It wasn’t until well after daybreak on Sunday that the last fire unit cleared the scene.

“We had already begun our investigation at that point and requested the help of the SBI, which is typically the protocol to follow when there is a fatal fire,” Rowe noted.

Rowe added that the family of the deceased, who live in Halifax County, were promptly notified of the tragedy, which also included a dog found deceased in the residence.

Rowe said Green was employed by Metal Tech in Murfreesboro.