Brit burns to death in freak car blaze after vehicle became trapped in mud and sparks set nearby reeds on fire in Cyprus

A BRITISH man was killed in a fire in Cyprus after his car became trapped in mud. The charred body of the 88-year-old was discovered outside the vehicle’s passenger door, alongside the remains of his dog. Fields with red soil and Avgorou village in Famagusta District in Cyprus island country Credit: Alamy He was attempting to flee after flames had engulfed his car in the village of Avgorou, in the southwestern Famagusta District. Police said the victim, who lived 85 miles away in Pachna, had travelled to the area with his care worker and dog to visit an animal shelter, according to local media. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The pair are believed to have become lost and ended up onto a dirt road, where they got stuck in mud. The man repeatedly attempted to free the wheels before sparks ignited nearby dry reeds, police said. The fire then spread rapidly to the car, trapping both him and his dog. Miraculously, the female care worker escaped safely and pleaded with the man to leave the vehicle behind. Instead, he told her to seek help while he remained behind. The man has not yet been named. It was only during an inspection of the vehicle that emergency responders discovered his remains. Most read in The Sun The freak case comes amid the heightened risk of wildfires during the summer. Just in the past week, Cyprus has recorded a jump in outdoor fires – but the Fire Service Chief and General Fire Coordinator Nikos Longinos warned that there are signs pointing to malicious acts. Longinos said the total number of outdoor fires recorded since the start of the year has topped 1,450. “Unfortunately, it seems that more than 90% of all fires are caused by human factors,” he said. “In recent days, though, it looks like fires are breaking out due to malicious acts. “We’re finding four or five fire outbreaks within 500 metres of each other, and other cases too, reported to us by members of the public who give us information. “We want to thank them, and police are investigating these incidents.” Comment now