A man died in an early morning fire in Mt. Olive today, while seven others escaped the blaze.

Just before 4 a.m. today, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a house fire in the 400 block of Springdale Road.

They arrived to find a double-wide mobile home fully involved with fire. The residents had been awakened and fled the residence.

James Swafford, 45, died in the fire. Family members attempted to rescue him, but due to his medical condition, could not get him to safety.

Firefighters found his body as they were extinguishing the flames.

A family friend had been staying at the home and told deputies he awoke to see the flames and began alerting the other occupants of the house. Five adults and two children escaped.

The fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The cause of the fire is not yet known.