Extensive injuries to result in long wait to identify fire victim

It could takes weeks for investigators to formally identify the body of a man who died in a Swansea shed fire, police say.

IT could takes weeks for investigators to identify the body of a man who died in a Swansea shed fire, police say.

A man believed to be in his 60s died when the garage-style shed he was in caught fire about 4pm on Friday.

Police said emergency service crews found the man’s body inside the “completely destroyed shed” after fire crews contained the blaze.

Detective Acting Inspector Ricky Newman said fire investigations were continuing to determine the cause of the fire and the identity of the deceased man.

He said early investigations indicated the cause of the fire was not believed to be suspicious.

Insp Newman said the man’s extensive injuries made it difficult for police to identify him.

“The body received significant injuries as a result of the fire so identifying the person could take some time,” he said.

“We believe the body to be of a 61-year-old man who was residing in the shed but formal identification may take weeks.”

A Swansea resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Mercury she called triple-0 when she noticed smoke and flames out the window of her Frances St home, about 1km from the Meredith Court blaze.

“The fire appeared quite large and within a minute of dialling triple-0 I heard sirens of emergency vehicles heading towards the property,” she said.