A fire broke out at a first-floor apartment in the Kapparis area of Famagusta district on Monday evening, causing extensive damage to the property. A neighbour who attempted to extinguish the flames injured his hand and was taken to the accident and emergency department at Famagusta general hospital, while the apartment’s tenant managed to escape safely before firefighters arrived.

Initial indications suggest the blaze may have been caused by cigarette butts that had been extinguished in a flower pot containing plants.

In a statement, the fire service said it received the call at 7.02pm on Monday reporting a fire at a first-floor apartment in a residential complex in Kapparis. Two fire engines from the Famagusta fire station, Sergeant Adamou Adamou, responded to the incident and the blaze was brought under control by 7.15pm.

According to the fire service, the fire started on the apartment’s balcony before spreading into the interior after the glass enclosure of the veranda shattered.

The fire and the intense heat caused extensive damage to part of the apartment’s contents, while the wall paintwork and flooring were also affected.

The neighbour attempted to extinguish the blaze before the arrival of firefighters and injured his hand in the process. Members of the fire service provided first aid at the scene before he was transferred to the accident and emergency department at Famagusta general hospital for further treatment.

The fire service said the apartment’s tenant exited the property safely before firefighters arrived.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, the fire service said it has not ruled out the possibility that the blaze was caused by the remains of smoking materials, specifically cigarette butts, which had been extinguished in a flower pot containing plants.