They found him lying on a mattress now engulfed in flames, desperately trying to leave the smoke-filled home. Francesco Antonio Ladu, 61, died in hospital after suffering severe burns yesterday following a fire in his home , likely caused by an electric heater placed too close to his mattress.

The alarm was raised around 6:00 PM by neighbors, who noticed smoke coming from the apartment and immediately contacted emergency services. When firefighters entered the Trenino apartment on Via Martiri della Libertà, they found a disturbing scene: rooms in disarray, numerous objects strewn across the floor, and the heater still on, lying next to the mattress on the floor.

The man, though seriously injured, was still alert when emergency responders arrived. He had extensive burns on his face, chest, and much of his body. His clothes had been melted by the flames. After receiving initial treatment, he was rushed to the emergency room in Nuoro and subsequently transferred to the Burns Center in Sassari, where he was admitted in critical condition. During the night, his condition worsened, and Francesco Antonio Ladu's heart stopped beating.