Cigarette butt caused fire which killed homeless man

ACCIDENT investigators have established that the fire at a flat in Palma which killed a homeless man on Thursday afternoon was started by a lit cigarette end.

The victim was identified yesterday as 43.year-old Hahmed Y., from Morocco. Along with other homeless people, he had been using the disused flat in Calle Balanguera to sleep in, apparently for some years.

The body of the man was found half lying down in the flat and officers believe he fell asleep smoking a cigarette which set fire to an old cushion. He finally died from smoke inhalation as other material in the flat set ablaze and there was nothing the Emergency services could have done to save his life.

The flat reportedly belonged to a man who died without heirs some four years ago and local people said yesterday that Thursday's blaze was an accident waiting to happen. One resident said that homeless people were constantly bringing trolley loads of old clothes, cushions and furniture to the property.

Although Hahmed Y. kept himself to himself, the local community could not help but be saddened by the death of another human being.