THE cause of a fire which killed a 74-year-old man remains a mystery, an inquest heard.

John Thompson, of Albion Avenue, Acomb,York, a retired electronics engineer, died on August 5, 2009 after being dragged out of the house by firefighter. They were called at about 3am by neighbours who had seen smoke coming out of the house.

Station manager Roy Ashman, from North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, said there had been two fires, one in the main bedroom and one in a second bedroom used as a computer room.

He said the evidence showed there was no trace that one fire had led to the other, indicating they had started separately but there was no evidence of how they had started. He also said the thickness of the smoke indicated they had been burning at low energy for some time. Mr Thompson was not a smoker and there was no evidence of an electrical fault.

A box of matches, which relatives said was usually kept on the mantle piece in the living room, was found on the kitchen floor.

Mr Thompson, who had early stages of senile dementia, had visited his GP in July 2009, when he was said to be feeling better, eating better and generally more interested in things.

York coroner Donald Coverdale recorded an open verdict.

He said: “So what has happened in that bungalow?

“I don’t think we’re ever going to know for sure what has occurred.”