Early indications are that a deadly overnight fire in East Vancouver was caused by an electrical problem.

At around 8:40 p.m. fire crews arrived at the home in the 1100-block of East 19th Avenue to find the attic on fire. Once the fire was extinguished crews discovered the body of a man in his 50's.

The man was found in the attic but police say he didn't appear to suffer any significant burns.

"The majority of people when they die in a fire it's usually from smoke inhalation," says Vancouver Fire Department Captain Gabe Roder.

The house was in the midst of a renovation but Roder says it doesn't look like the renovations had anything to do with the fire.

"Where the fire started, that part (of the house) wasn't ripped out yet so you can't point towards that at all."

The neighbour who called 911 says the fire was quite extraordinary.

"There was smoke coming out of everywhere -- then there was a flash -- like the sun," the woman told CTV News. "Flames were coming from (the) roof -- you could hear windows popping, glass breaking and everything."

Fire crews are continuing the investigation.