Kenneth Robinson was pulled from the home by firefighters and taken to Atrium Health Waxhaw, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Crews were dispatched to the 600 block of Howie Mine Road around 4:30 a.m. after a neighbor called 911 to report the fire. A police officer who arrived first tried to enter the home but was driven back by heavy smoke and flames; the officer was treated for minor injuries and later released from the hospital.

A second person inside the home escaped without injury, according to the fire marshal's office.

Investigators determined the fire was caused by a space heater and confirmed that the home had no working smoke alarm.

"Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones affected by this tragic fire," Union County Fire Marshal Jon Williams said in a statement. "We are grateful for the quick actions of the neighbor who called 911 and the first responders who worked to rescue the victim. This tragedy is also a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly a fire can become life-threatening."

Williams urged residents to take precautions as colder weather prompts more people to use supplemental heating. Space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, he said, and every home should have working smoke alarms.

The death underscores a seasonal safety risk that fire officials across the region warn about each fall and winter, when portable heaters and other supplemental heating sources see wider use. Working smoke alarms are widely credited with providing the early warning that can mean the difference between escape and tragedy.

No further details about the investigation were immediately available.