Bhubaneswar, Dec 21: A 70-year-old man lost his life in a house fire that broke out on Saturday night in the Bangiriposhi block of Mayurbhanj district. The deceased has been identified as Bhagirathi Naik.

According to reports, Naik was sleeping inside his thatched house after lighting a small fire to keep warm due to the cold weather. The fire reportedly spread quickly, engulfing the house and trapping him inside. Although his family members, including his son and daughter-in-law, were staying in a nearby house, they were unable to rescue him in time.

The blaze completely destroyed the house along with all its belongings. Firefighters from Bangiriposhi rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control, but by then Naik had already died from his injuries.

Police recovered the body and have initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.