Victim died of smoke inhalation in second fatal Limassol housefire

An autopsy on Monday indicated that the 33-year-old man who was found dead at his home in Limassol, not far from the apartment in which a five-member family died in a fire last week, died of asphyxiation after inhaling smoke, pending laboratory confirmation.

Investigations are continuing into the cause of the fire, focusing on electrical appliances.

Authorities examined the scene on Monday and removed evidence for further tests.

The autopsy was carried out at the morgue of the Nicosia general hospital by medical examiners Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou.

The body of Menelaos Christodoulides was found after a fire broke at his home around 2pm on Sunday in the Limassol area of Ayios Nicholas, which the fire services extinguished.

A full investigation was launched into the exact conditions which led to the blaze and the electromechanical service said it would continue its investigation on Monday and deliver its findings to the police.

The scene was cordoned off and police are talking to witnesses.

Sources said the man’s bedroom had filled with smoke and fumes before the fire broke out and that there were various electrical appliances in the room, such as computers, a heater and a television.

On Saturday evening there had been a power cut, which residents in a secondary building had become aware of, however they informed the deceased’s brother of the power cut at around midday on Sunday.

After that, the brother began calling Menelaos and, after failing to receive an answer, went to the house at around 2pm on Sunday.

The brother forced his way into the building and found Menelaos unconscious in his bedroom, which was full of smoke and fumes.

When oxygen flooded into the room, a fire broke out and in seconds the room was engulfed in flames.

Three fire trucks were sent to extinguish the fire.

Limassol police’s Marinos Vasiliou said the 33-year-old was found charred in the house.

Sources said the victim had been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident two years ago and had been struggling to walk again.