An 88-year-old British man, his dog, and his carer died when their car burst into flames in Avgorou, Cyprus, after the vehicle got stuck in mud.
Incident details
The driver was travelling to an animal shelter with his dog and carer when they reportedly got lost and drove onto a dirt road. While attempting to free the car, sparks ignited nearby dry reeds, which caused a fire.
The flames quickly spread to the vehicle during the incident on Saturday. The care worker managed to escape and urged the man to leave the car, but according to her statements to the police, the driver asked her to go seek help.
Aftermath and investigation
The man's body was found beside the vehicle, outside the passenger door, after the fire was extinguished, suggesting he eventually tried to escape the flames. His dog also died in the blaze.
An investigation has been launched to establish the full circumstances of the incident, while a post-mortem confirmed that the man burned to death. The man lived in Pachna, a village in southern Cyprus.
