A 70-year-old man was killed Thursday when flames ripped through his Summit-area home.

The fire in the 5900 block of 48th Avenue East also killed the family cat.

Neighbor Teresa Stringham said the man had recently completed cancer treatment and that he and his wife were planning to build a “dream house” on their property.

“It’s very sad,” Stringham said. “They’ve been through so much.”

Investigators suspect an electrical problem caused the blaze, said Central Pierce Fire & Rescue spokeswoman Stephanie Glass, adding the fire was ruled accidental.

A neighbor spotted the flames and called 911 about 7:30 a.m. By the time firefighters arrived, the two-story house was engulfed in flames.

“The house was filled with lots of combustibles, so that added to the intensity of the fire,” Glass said.

Once firefighters knocked the blaze down enough to go inside, they found the man dead just past the front door, Glass said.

Firefighters initially feared the man’s wife was inside the burning home but discovered she’d already left for work. They later found the couple’s cat, which had died in the fire.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office was working to confirm the man’s identity before releasing his name.

Tim Wasson, who lives next door, said the man had retired from Boeing.

KIRO-TV contributed to this report.

Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268 stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com