Wayanad (Kerala) | A 73-year-old man has died after his house caught fire at Sultan Bathery here, police said on Monday.

The deceased, Krishnankutty, was a native of Ammayipalam in Sultan Bathery, they added.

According to police, the fire broke out at his house at around 10.30 pm on Sunday.

Krishnankutty was alone at the house at the time of the incident as his wife had been admitted to a hospital, police said.

Though neighbours rushed to the spot and managed to douse the fire, Krishnankutty was found inside the house with severe burn injuries.

He was immediately taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead, police said.

Sultan Bathery police have registered a case, initiated an investigation into the incident and are examining the house to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The body will be handed over to relatives after the postmortem, police added.