LATEST: A 56-year-old man has died after his work shed caught fire in Ashburton this morning.

The man was found in the shed at the back of his Bryant St property earlier today, police said.

The Fire Service was called to the blaze in Tinwald just after 6am.

Fire investigators were still examining the scene but it did not appear to be suspicious, a police spokesman said.

It was unknown if the man had died from smoke inhalation or burns, and his name would not be released until next of kin was advised, the spokesman said.

Southern Fire Communications shift manager Karl Patterson said the commercial building was "not that evolved" when fire crews arrived.

"Two trucks went down to the fire after reports of smoke. It wasn't well ablaze at that time. They removed one person from the building but he unfortunately has since died."

Fire safety officer Graham Davies said the building was not badly destroyed.

"It is not a big fire at all really."

Patterson said he did not know who owned the building but that it was some sort of workshop.

It is understood the building is an engineering workshop, owned by the deceased's family.

Patterson said the man was believed to be the only one in the building at the time.

- © Fairfax NZ News