An electric blanket was the most likely cause of a house fire in Ely in which a 72-year-old man died, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed.
Firefighters were called to New Barnes Avenue shortly before 1am last Friday following reports that a house had caught fire.
Neighbours also expressed concern to emergency services that the homeowner, identified locally as Terry Kidman, was still inside.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue said:
“On arrival of the first crew the police were at the scene and had smashed a window to try to gain access but were unable to get inside due to the smoke.
“Fire crews from Littleport and Ely attended and entered the house. They discovered the body of an elderly man in the front room where the fire had started.”
The spokesman added that an “intense investigation” followed in the days after the incident involving a number of factors but that officials believe that an electric blanket was the most probable cause of the blaze.
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