PETALING JAYA, May 23 — An octogenarian died in an early morning fire in his living room yesterday believed to have been caused by a cigarette he was smoking.

Police found the charred remains of Datuk Muhamad Ali Mahfuz Ali, 88, at his Taman Tun Ismail home.    

Brickfields police chief ACP Muhammad Azlee Abdullah said policemen found Muhamad Ali’s 77-year-old wife standing near the front door of the house.

“She was rushed to the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for treatment.

Azlee said the victim’s son told police that his father was smoking in the living room when he fell asleep.

The son also revealed that his father suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

Initial investigations by police and the Fire and Rescue Department forensic teams revealed there was no foul play.

Muhamad Ali’s body was sent to UMMC for post-mortem.The case has been classified as sudden death.