NEAR WILLIAMSTOWN, MO. -- (Updated at 10:15 p.m. on 10-13-11) The cause of a fire that killed a man and destroyed four outbuildings on his northeast Missouri farm this week will forever remain a mystery.

The tragedy happened Monday afternoon in Lewis County at the Hubert Nesbitt residence five miles outside Williamstown.

The body of the 74-year-old Nesbitt was found behind one of those buildings after the fire was put out.

An autopsy wasn't done, but Lewis County Coroner Larry Arnold told KTVO Thursday he believes Nesbitt died of severe burns suffered in the blaze.

No foul play is suspected.

The cause of the fire officially goes in the books as "undetermined."

Canton Fire Chief Jeff McReynolds said any evidence of what started it was destroyed by the fire.

He said local and state fire investigators aren't sure if the blaze started as a grass fire and spread to the four structures or if it started in one of the buildings and then spread to the grass and the other three buildings.

----------------------------------------

The body of a northeast Missouri man found behind a burning outbuilding on his farm has been identified.

The Lewis County coroner said the victim in Monday afternoon's fire was Hubert Nesbitt, 74, of Williamstown, Missouri.

Several outbuildings on his farm outside Williamstown were discovered burning just before 2 p.m. Monday.

Nesbitt's body was found at 5 p.m. that day.

Investigators said it appears Nesbitt died as a result of the fire, but the cause of death is still under investigation.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Funeral arrangements for Hubert Nesbitt are pending with Arnold's Funeral Home in Canton.

(Information for this story provided by KTVO's sister station, KHQA-TV.)