Investigators are trying to figure out what caused an early-morning fire that led to the death of one man and seven others getting hurt.

Flames broke out around 4 A.M. Monday in a three-story apartment building on Nostrand Avenue and Claredon Road in Flatbush.

Heavy smoke and flames left extensive damage on the second and third floors.  Fire officials say residents were able to evacuate on their own, except for one man who jumped to his death from the second floor.

The man's friend, Joseph Alcine, who owns a bar across the street, says he saw him jump.

“Automatically, I thought he was dead. Automatically,” Alcine said. “I think he jumped by emotion … He's scared of dying. You know, the emotion of dying and the fear of dying, if that's the word, he just jumped."

Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control before it spread to neighboring buildings.