An 86-year-old man died of suffocation after his house caught fire and was almost completely burned to the ground in Getafe at past midnight on Thursday.

Police Officer 2 Esteban Torregosa III identified the fatality as Felimon Majasco, a resident of Jandayan Sur, Getafe.

According to Torregosa, Majasco lived alone in the ill-fated home and was unaccompanied when the fire broke out.

Authorities believed that the blaze started due to an unattended rice which was being cooked in open fire.

Residents in the area told fire investigators that Majasco usually ate at 4 p.m. and again during midnight. They noted that he may have fallen asleep while cooking rice for his midnight meal.

The fire engulfed almost half of Majasco’s house which was mostly built with light materials but his neighbors helped in putting out the flames.

They however were not able to save Majasco as they found him sprawled on the ground and lifeless.

He may have already suffocated as the flames started to engulf the house and his neighbors were still not able to get inside his burning house, Torregosa said.

Majasco also suffered multiple burns across his body, he added. (A. Doydora)