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 it started in a trash can outside the home before climbing the siding and reaching the attic.

The house was declared a total loss. Evidence suggests Blunt may have tried to extinguish the flames and entered the attic before he was found outside, investigators said.

Family members have launched an online fundraiser to help Blunt’s partner, Luz Montoya, replace clothing and other essentials lost in the fire. As of Wednesday, it had raised more than $2,600 toward a $10,000 goal.

“With deep sadness, we share that my stepfather, Michael Blunt, passed away,” fundraiser organizer and Blunt’s stepson Nick Castillo wrote. “He left us far too soon, and our hearts are broken. Mike is survived by my mother, Luz Montoya, who is now facing the unimaginable — losing her partner and the home they shared.”

Blunt is remembered as a well-known and beloved handyman who had announced his retirement from the business the day before the fire, citing health concerns.