A bedridden paraplegic man narrowly escaped death on Saturday evening after a fire broke out in his house in Chlorakas in Paphos.

With the help of neighbours, firefighters managed to rescue the paraplegic man from his bedroom.

He was taken by ambulance to Paphos hospital and had suffered second and third degree burns on various parts of his body. His condition is said to be serious but stable.

From preliminary examinations by Paphos police and the fire service at the scene, arson was ruled out and first indications appeared to show that the fire was caused by a lit cigarette.