THE man who died in a fire at his home at Knightstone Grange, Langdown Lawn, Hythe, was named today as Joseph Barnes, aged 40.
He was found dead in his smoke-filled flat yesterday morning.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out today, but Mr Barnes is thought to have died from smoke-inhalation.
The blaze broke out in the lounge of his second-floor flat. It is thought to have started between 1 and 2am - six hours before firefighters broke in and found his body in the bedroom.
Police believe he was woken by the fire and got up, but was overcome by smoke.
Some of his neighbours say they were woken in the early hours by a loud bang which sounded like someone falling out of bed.
Mr Barnes, who was unemployed, was single and lived alone.
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