LAHORE: A 70-year-old man was burned to death in a house fire in Maraghzar Colony of Hanjarwal on Tuesday.

Sub-Inspector Iqbal Niazi of Hanjarwal police said the incident took place at the residence of Nasir Mahmood Bhatti, a government employee, when his father-in-law Fazal Muhammad caught fire from a heater.

He said Bhatti and his family reached the house, found smoke and fire and alerted Rescue 1122 and police.

Quoting Bhatti, the SI said the family had gone to bazaar for a couple of hours and switched on heater for Fazal.

The SI said it appeared the elderly man caught fire when the heater fell onto the ground and a piece of cloth caught fire. He said the victim was burnt and valuables worth Rs150,000 were also reduced to ashes.

Iqbal said police were looking into the incident from all aspects.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014