SEATTLE -- A man found dead in his apartment building in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood fatally shot himself, said the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The medical examiner identified the man as 89-year-old Edward Jackson from Seattle.

The two-alarm fire started in Jackson’s apartment and was ruled arson in a statement released Monday from the Seattle Fire Department.

Jackson was the only occupant living in the older building that was scheduled to be torn down, fire department spokesman Helen Fitzpatrick said. He received several eviction notices and was told to be out by Monday, the day of the fire, said Seattle Police Department spokesman Renee Witt.

Dennis Saxman knew Jackson, who lived the apartment for decades.

“He had a lot of things in his apartment and was having a really hard time letting go. He had lived here for 40 years," Saxman said.

Saxman said the man received eviction notices, but just kept putting off his move.

"He had nerves of steel," Saxman said. "That's the thing I'll remember about him most, his tenacity. But it's just a shame it led to this."

The Marion apartment building is on the east side of Interstate 5. The Seattle Fire Department said the fire started on the first floor of the building at 6:30 a.m. Monday, but spread to the top floor of the four-story building.

Upload Video, Photos Of The Fire
VIDEO: Capitol Hill Fire Started In Victim's Apartment
VIDEO: Capitol Hill Resident Killed Received Eviction Notices

The entire corner of the building became engulfed in flames and multiple fire crews responded to fight the blaze.

SLIDESHOW: Raging Apartment Fire Leaves 1 Dead

Video from Chopper 7 showed firefighters on the roof trying to break through to vent the flames with picks and axes.

Chopper video showed burning pieces of the building falling to the ground and heavy smoke and flames shooting into the air.

The fire burned balconies, broke windows and scorched the roofline, but the mostly brick building remained standing. A sign outside the building said it will be torn down to make way for a 103-unit residential building.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was transported to Harborview Medical Center.