Autopsy inconclusive for woman in Tseri bushfire

An autopsy was inconclusive in showing the exact cause of death of a Paphos woman, whose charred remains were found in a wildfire in rural Nicosia on Saturday.

Fire fighters were called Saturday morning before 9am to put out a fire in a field in Tseri, Nicosia district, when they discovered a burned female body, later identified as 67-year-old Paphos resident Eleni Alexandrou.

Moments earlier, according to the reports, flames were spotted from a nearby army camp, with soldiers rushing to contain the blaze until fire fighters could arrive and extinguish the fire.

Reports later said Alexandrou had gone to Tseri to clear some land near her son’s farmhouse. She is believed to have started a fire in order to burn vegetation but it got out of control, causing her to be overcome by fumes and lose consciousness.

CID Nicosia director Neophytos Shailos said police were investigating all possible scenarios, while also adding there were some early indications.

“All possible scenarios are being investigated but some indications and evidence found at the scene would not rule out that the woman might have started the fire herself and then couldn’t control it,” the senior inspector said.

Shailos also said the body was badly burned with no external injuries visible.

The autopsy at the scene was conducted by state forensic pathologist Nicholas Charalambous, while a post mortem on Sunday was inconclusive. Lab test results are expected to shed more light in the coming days.

Additional reports said Alexandrou had gone to the field to clear some land ahead of a memorial service for her second son, who died in a road accident.

Story has been updated with information on inconclusive post mortem