A house fire call for Alabama firefighters quickly turned into a homicide investigation for police after investigations realized the dead man at the scene had been shot.

The incident happened at 44th Street SW and Willard Avenue at approximately noon.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel were called to extinguish a house fire.

They found the victim lying near a door to the residence. A dead dog was next to the victim’s body. Fire crews extinguished the fire and then made the discovery that the victim had been shot.

Police said they learned another man, a friend of the dead man, had been siting in a vehicle outside the home when another person showed up and started firing gunshot at the two men. The friend reportedly fled on foot.

The matter is under investigation.