A 40-year-old man was found dead after a fire early on Monday morning, the fire service said.

Spokesman Andreas Kettis told Cybc that at around 5.45 am, two fire trucks responded to calls about a fire at a prefabricated building in Astromeritis.

The building is owned by a developer based in the area, according to a police report.

The fire, which reportedly started in the kitchen, had been brought under control by the owner by the time the fire service arrived, and firemen extinguished the last of the flames.

Firemen also found an unconscious man inside, who was identified as a 40-year-old employee of the company that owns the building.

An ambulance rushed the man to Nicosia general hospital, where doctors announced him dead on arrival.

According to Kettis, at first glance the man appears to have died from smoke inhalation, but state medical examiners have reportedly been called to carry out a post-mortem.

He told the Cyprus News Agency that the space housing the kitchen and living room suffered extensive damage.

The source of the fire is believed a halogen heater, which could have set off sparks onto something flammable, he said, adding that the police will continue investigating the cause of the fire.