An elderly Carterton man has died after he was badly burned in a fire at his home two weeks ago.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned at Oxford into the death of Eddie Organisciak, 84.

At the time of the blaze, on July 5, police and emergency services were confused over the identity of the pensioner who escaped from the burning bungalow in Milestone Road. They named the man, who had burns to his leg, as Mr Organisciak's friend, Alex Kaulins.

But a police spokesman said Mr Kaulins was away at the time staying with friends in Gloucester.

Mr Organisciak, who was born in Poland, was first taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and then transferred to a specialist burns unit at Stoke Mandeville.

He had been a cleaner and caretaker at the Spotlight Club on the nearby air base at RAF Brize Norton.

Doctors believe that Mr Organisciak's age reduced his ability to survive the severe burns to his leg.

Police and fire service investigations into the cause of the blaze will be presented to a full inquest at a date yet to be fixed.

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