The owner of the apartment that was wrecked by a fire was discovered dead outside the building, with head injuries.

The Judiciary Police (PJ) is investigating the death of a 63-year-old man found close to an apartment destroyed by a fire in the early hours of April 23 in Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA).

According to the Civil Protection Algarve Sub-Regional Command, the fire alert was raised at 01h24 through a call to the 112.

The victim and owner of the apartment, António Santana, was found lying on the street, with two blows to the head, surrounded by blood some 70 metres from the building.

“I saw smoke in the building, and when I arrived, I found him already lying on the road with two blows to the forehead”, said a local man, who alerted the authorities.

The Judiciary Police (PJ) is investigating the circumstances of the death and the causes of the fire in the house, which has left five residents of the building homeless.

The mayor of Vila Real de Santo António, Álvaro Araújo, said the municipality provided accommodation for the homeless people. However, he said, “Five people refused the accommodation provided by the municipality and stayed with a family member”.

“The information I have, which has not yet been confirmed, is that the person [the victim] did not live in that apartment and, even for that reason, it is strange that he was there”, pointed out Álvaro Araújo.

According to Civil Protection, 23 operatives from the VRSA and Castro Marim Volunteer Fire Brigades, the Municipal Civil Protection, the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), the PSP, PJ and the company E-Redes were involved in the firefighting and assistance operations.

An autopsy on the victim’s body will be essential to ascertain the causes of death.