FRANKLIN - A late night house fire that resulted in a fatality over the weekend was caused by combustible material kept too close to a space heater, state and local fire officials say.

The tragedy is a prime example of the dangers of using space heaters to keep warm as temperatures dip and people turn to alternative heating because of high energy costs, authorities say.

Meanwhile, state police attached to the office of Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating have been informed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner the man found dead Friday night in the blaze at 652 Old West Central St. has been positively identified as Bruce Barck, 62, who lived at the address.

The cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.

Investigators determined the fire originated in the kitchen when a space heater was being used too close to combustibles, State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Franklin Fire Chief Gary B. McCarraher said. The improper use of space heaters has been a persistent fear among fire officials.

"One of every 10 space heater fires causes a fire death. In order to use space heaters safely, they must be three feet away from anything that can burn in every direction," Coan said in a statement about the fatal fire.

McCarraher offered his condolences to the family.

"Every fire death is a terrible tragedy," he said.

The fire was jointly investigated by the Franklin Fire Department, the Franklin Police Department, and state police detectives assigned to the state Fire Marshal's office and the Norfolk County district attorney's office.

The fatality comes as the state fire marshal and fire chiefs across the state are launching a "Keep Warm, Keep Safe" campaign to educate people about how to keep safe while they keep warm this winter.

The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of potential fire hazards this winter as more people turn to alternative heating sources to save money, according to the fire marshal.

For additional information, visit mass.gov/keepwarmkeepsafe.