A pensioner has died in a fire at his home.
Howard Brown, 72, lived alone and was a retired building inspector.
A police investigation was launched after the tragedy at the bungalow in Meadow Way, Jaywick.
Fire scene: police cordon off the bungalow where the pensioner died. Picture: STEVE BRADING
Police and fire officers spent more than 24 hours investigating the fire and found the fire was not suspicious.
Firefighters were called to the bungalow at 11.44am on Saturday.
A fire spokesman said: "When we arrived smoke was coming from the eves and the windows."
He added officers did not know if anyone was inside, so firefighters kicked the front door in.
Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went inside where they found a "quite severe fire" in the lounge.
They put the blaze out and found Mr Brown in the lounge.
He was declared dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination at Colchester General Hospital yesterday found he died of smoke inhalation.
Elsie Richardson, who also lives in Meadow Way, said: "He was a man who kept to himself, he had been there eight or ten years and I think I have had one conversation with him."
The fire service will continue to try to find the source of the blaze.
Published Monday, April 28, 2003
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