A fire that destroyed a building and resulted in the death of a man in Brading on the Isle of Wight is being treated as accidental, it has been confirmed.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said there are also fears the home, on New Road, could collapse further.
As firefighters cannot access the property, they are unable to establish the cause of the blaze, the fire service said.
As previously reported by the County Press, crews from across the Island and the mainland were called in the early hours of December 1.
Read more:
- Man dies following major fire in Brading on Isle of Wight
- Man suffers burns as Brading home completely destroyed by fire
Initial calls to the service reported an explosion. All that is left of the house is two walls, either side, and a gaping hole in the middle.
Damage was also caused to a neighbouring property.
The road through the village was closed for a considerable length of time and residents were evacuated for safety.
John Kent, 60, was taken to Salisbury hospital with burns. Last week, the Isle of Wight Coroner's Court confirmed he had died.
HIWFRS has since said the property has been examined by a structural engineer and has been deemed 'unsafe to enter', due to risk of collapse.
A spokesperson said: "Therefore we are not able to establish the cause of the fire.
"There are no indications that this was a criminal act, so is being treated as an accidental incident.
"In the case of any fire related death, we work with the coroner’s office and provide all the available details."
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Read the rules here