A 44-year-old man was found dead on Sunday morning at a restaurant near Petra tou Romiou in the Paphos district, while a 32-year-old woman remains in critical condition after both were discovered unconscious in a basement area of the premises.
Police said the incident was reported at around 09:45 by the 59-year-old Greek Cypriot owner of the restaurant. The owner contacted authorities after finding his foreign employee, aged 44, and an unidentified woman unconscious in a basement room that the man had been using as living quarters.
Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Kouklia Police Station immediately attended the scene, along with an ambulance.
Carbon monoxide suspected
Authorities confirmed that the 44-year-old man had died at the scene. The woman, later identified as a 32-year-old national of the same country, who works as a domestic worker in a village in the Paphos district, was transported to Paphos General Hospital with severe respiratory problems. She is currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.
During the examination of the room where the two individuals were found, police discovered a rectangular metal container with burning charcoal, which appears to have been used for heating.
Investigators believe the fumes from the charcoal may have caused carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to the death of the 44-year-old and the critical condition of the woman.
The exact cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination.