Man dies in senior home fire

A senior citizen died in a fire that broke out in a retirement home in Dherynia, with officials suspecting a lit cigarette might have been the cause of the inferno.

According to local media, police were alerted to a fire that broke out Monday night just before 10pm at a senior citizens centre in Dherynia, Famagusta district.

Police said fire fighters rushed to the scene and managed to put out the fire, while a 66-year-old man was found inside the home with severe burns.

Reports said the man, who was a described as a resident at the senior home “Elpida” (Hope), was rushed to the Emergency Room at Famagusta General Hospital. He was later pronounced dead but it was unclear whether he had passed away at the hospital or earlier.

Following a preliminary assessment, officials said a lit cigarette was the suspected cause of the fire while adding that additional investigation was scheduled to resume Tuesday morning at the first light.