Fire that killed Mike Blunt ruled accidental, officials say

A 63-year-old man died early Friday in a Glennwilde neighborhood house fire that investigators say began in a trash can outside the home.

The Maricopa Police Department identified the victim as Mike Blunt. The Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined his cause of death.

Crews from the Maricopa Fire & Medical Department were called just before 5:30 a.m. to the 42000 block of Sussex Road. A caller told dispatchers she and another person had left the house separately, but was unsure if Blunt had gone back inside.

Firefighters searching the property found Blunt unconscious in the backyard, according to fire officials. He was treated at the scene and taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Fire marshal investigators determined the blaze was accidental. They believe