British woman dies in Paralimni house fire

A British woman was found dead inside her Paralimni residence on Wednesday, after authorities were called to the scene to extinguish a house fire.

Police said fire fighters responded on Wednesday early afternoon to a fire in downtown Paralimni, where they found a 44-year-old foreign national unconscious in her bedroom.

The incident took place around 1pm when fire fighters gained entry to a two-storey building and put out a fire on the second floor. Sources told Knews the British woman, described as a permanent resident of Cyprus who owned a business in Protaras, was found dead on her bed.

Police said there were no signs of external injuries and no reports of extensive fire damages, while nothing had been ruled out pending further investigation.

Famagusta police spokesman Andreas Constantinou told the Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday that the cause of fire was under investigation, while the cause and manner of death were also expected to be ascertained following forensic tests and a post mortem.

CNA also cited sources saying the fire had not made its way into the bedroom where the body was found, while officials suspected that the fire started from a sofa in another room and further speculated the woman might have died of smoke inhalation.

Based on preliminary information, authorities were reportedly treating the incident as accidental death.