Rex Benson, his daughter and another man made it out of the house before the two men realized they had left his mobile phones inside.
Despite the flames, he and one other man decided to go back into the house to grab the phones.
It was the last decision Benson ever made.
His friend beat the odds and made it out alive, Benson's body was recovered a few hours later.
Firefighters in Plano, Texas told The Dallas Morning News the men wanted to use the phones to call 911.
A neighbor says he had to stop Benson’s daughter from going in as well.
When fire crews arrived, the house was a huge ball of flames, leaving them unable to help.
One firefighter told The New York Daily News "it was a terrible miscalculation on their part. A terrible accident.
“Evidentially, they felt they had the time to go back in."
She finished by warning “people should never go back into a burning building, and 90% of those that do don't make it out alive.