Former professional bareback rider Chris Harris, 41, was found dead inside the former Salvage Carpet building in Bosque County, where he lived, after a fire that began around 11:21 a.m. on Wednesday burned the building, authorities confirmed Friday.
Flames tore through the structure, which is located near the intersection of State Highway 22 and FM 56 in the unincorporated community of Laguna Park. The building was fully-involved within just minutes, and SH 22 was closed for several hours.
Harris' remains were taken to American Forensics in Mesquite for an autopsy, according to the Bosque County Sheriff's Office, which said the cause of the fire was not immediately clear. The Texas State Fire Marshal's Office was tasked with investigating the fatal blaze.
"Chris Harris was an incredibly talented bareback rider," Bronc Riding Nation wrote in a statement. "He was beloved by friends, his mama and daughter and always tried to stay ahead of his demons."
Harris was a six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene of the large blaze on Wednesday, according to Hill County's Office of Emergency Management, which posted photos of the structure on social media.
Those images can be viewed below.