Police are investigating the deaths of two Egyptian nationals, aged 28 and 42, who were found dead on Wednesday morning in what appears to be a case of carbon monoxide poisoning from a portable barbecue brought indoors.
The men, who were undocumented migrants, were found in a multi-purpose room on the first floor of the National Refugee Association “Panagiotis Toumazou” building in the Episkopi area of Limassol, police said.
According to residents in the area, the two men were seen lighting charcoal on the building’s first-floor veranda on Tuesday evening. Authorities are investigating whether they may have cooked their food outdoors before bringing the lit barbecue inside due to the cold weather.
The victims were found on an inflatable bed with two blankets. Police believe they may have fallen asleep while the barbecue remained lit in the closed room, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning and oxygen deprivation.
An employee of a company operating from the building, discovered the bodies after opening the door to the room and finding it filled with smoke. Both men showed no vital signs.
The exact cause of death will be determined by post-mortem examinations.
Limassol CID investigators are continuing to take statements from various individuals connected to the victims or who frequent the association premises. Security camera footage from the first-floor entrance is being examined.
According to a statement from the company owner, the 28-year-old Egyptian worked as an intermediary for various import companies, particularly in the charcoal business, and his family reportedly owns businesses in Egypt. He said that he lived in Paphos with relatives but occasionally requested accommodation in this space when he had work in Limassol.
The 42-year-old victim is believed to have been a friend who was staying there on Tuesday night.
Questions have emerged regarding the use of the first floor, which belongs to the National Refugee Association. Neighbours noted they were not aware that company offices operated in the space, while concerns have been raised about how a multi-purpose room appears to have been converted into makeshift living quarters with inflatable beds and internet access.
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